As the sun peeked through the blinds, my internal clock knew the silence was about to be interrupted by the buzz of an alarm. I hadn’t looked to see for sure, but all environmental elements pointed toward time to get up.
Sure enough, within a few minutes the phone was singing its morning tune, and I calmly turned it off as I continued thinking through the day’s schedule while stretching and shifting around a bit before bouncing out of bed.
Waking up naturally before the alarm goes off always sets my day on a much smoother and energetic path.
Those mornings tend to follow a solid night’s sleep, unlike a restless night where it takes until around 5 a.m. to finally settle in and get super comfortable only to be jarred awake by the alarm — which sounds more intense — an hour or so later.
However, even those sluggish and frantic mornings can be salvaged with the right attitude.
My friend, Dale, who is in his 90s, jokingly says, “If I wake up, then it’s a good morning.”
And wherever his day leads, he greets those around him with a broad smile, beaming eyes and a funny story.
Leaning confidently on his hand-crafted walking stick, Dale can lighten up even the heaviest day, and he’s not satisfied to move along until he receives a smile, and possibly a laugh, in return.
Genuinely optimistic people who maintain a sincere peacefulness and evenness often balance out those who deal with chronic unhappiness, high levels of anxiety, ongoing frustrations and so much more.
But what happens if the percentage of those needing encouragement eventually becomes overwhelming, even for the most positive and happy people among us?
The recently released World Happiness Report shows the United States dropped from 15th to 23rd in the 2024 global ranking of happiness.
The report cites people aged 30 and below as experiencing the most dramatic decrease in happiness in the U.S.
“Social connections are vital for the wellbeing of young adults as they provide a buffer from the toxic effects of stress,” according to the report. “However, social disconnection is quite prevalent among young adults.
“In 2023, 19% of young adults across the world reported having no one that they could count on for social support, representing a 39% increase compared to 2006,” the report states.
‘Long-lasting effects’
“Early social ties during young adulthood have long-lasting effects.”
As possible helps toward increasing happiness, the information focuses on educational institutions and other social network opportunities, but my mind went directly to the Church and how we should be making the difference.
Whether it be working through the schools and universities or meeting families out and about in the community, the local church should be meeting the need of connection.
To do this, it takes awareness of the surrounding community, initiative to engage with neighbors and the willingness to provide opportunities that meet specific needs.
It means sharing Christ straight up with love and grace and inviting the community to take their next steps of faith surrounded by other believers.
Being real and offering genuine community grounded in the Lordship of Christ could shatter the declining ranking, especially as we discover and hold tightly to the joy of our salvation.
No matter our circumstances, the Lord provides our strength if we allow Him — and together we can keep each other encouraged and motivated.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Jennifer Davis Rash, president and editor-in-chief of TAB Media Group. This editorial will appear in the April 24 edition of The Baptist Paper. Click here to subscribe.
