Want to avoid seeing a counselor? You’d like to be happy and well-adjusted? Not pay through the nose for forty minutes of listening and teensy-weensy nuggets of advice? Then why not read Philippians 4: 4-7 for help from on high? It’s not what I say, but what God says.

Such a huge request on my part, huh? To read four verses? Actually, it’s not only my idea. A Christian counselor friend told me that if anyone who trusts in Jesus would practice what’s in these four verses, he’d have to post a ‘Closed. Out of Business’ sign. He knew, however, that he had job security as almost no one applies these words of St. Paul. Do you? Don’t bother asking me. I’ll be the first to own up to the fact that I need to do what these verses tell me to do almost more than anyone else.

Have you read them yet? If not, do so now. My, I’m getting bossy in my old age. But do it anyway! See what I mean? About being happy if we follow God’s advice? Of course, you do. It’s that business about rejoicing, being reasonable with others, cutting out anxieties, adding in prayer and thankfulness, trusting God, and what He promises. That’s great medicine for what ails us.

But why is that such an uphill battle? For me. And you? After all, doing the above– ‘…will guard your hearts and your minds…’ (Phil. 4:7). But there’s the rub–doing what I know to do, exercising follow-through.

But wait a cotton-pickin’ minute! I’ve left out something. It’s the critical element that makes the Bible’s good advice work. Verse one says this–‘Rejoice in the Lord always…’ And at the end of verse seven–‘..will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.’ So, basically, all this self-help goodness is like much hot air without putting it together with our Lord Jesus Christ. He’s the glue that cements it in place.

Being in Jesus puts the icing on the cake. Tops off everything. Life moves, though in jagged fashion, from good to better, and then eventually to the best of all. That’s not pie-in-the-sky, though, in a way, it is. It will be heavenly when the Lord passes the pie at His great banquet in the sweet by and by. It all comes together there and then.

Then, why so happy? Simply put, it’s because we know the Lord Jesus. That He’s in our lives and we’re His. Period. Kaput. Over and never out. Our Lord will not leave us. At no time will we lose His love. The worst day you’ll ever have in this life is the worst day you’ll ever have. Now that should put a smile on your face. Which is exactly why we’re so happy!

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for giving us the best life ever. Amen.