Making Australia The Happy Nation

Camden 8.00am and 9:30am, 26 January 2003
Romans 12:10-21, Matthew 5:38-48

The Unhappy Nation

• The message of our series is one that Australian needs to hear
• It is Australia Day
• A time for rejoicing
• But we are an unhappy nation
• The pain and the symptoms
• Fire storms
• The Drought
• Divorce rate
• Youth suicide
• Homelessness
• Drug problem
• Depression
• The fear of terrorism
• The threat of war with Iraq
• Racial tensions
• The demands for "sorry"

Happiness is Living with Reality

• The fear of bathroom scales
• We must learn to accept reality if we want to live a happy life
• Life can only be lived to the fullest when we engage reality to the fullest
• God can help us cope with life as it really is, not with life as we wish it to be
• God wants our feet on the ground so we can walk his way

How to effectively engage reality

• Ask God to help us set aside our defenses against reality
• Denial
• Intellectualism
• Projection
• Displacement
• The Serenity Prayer
• GOD, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change
• Courage to change the things I can,
• and the wisdom to know the difference

Keep Your Expectations in Check

• There is much unhappiness in Australia because our expectations are unrealistic
• Marriage and Divorce
• Wealth creation
• People and friendships
• Our expectations are in Jesus
• Ephesians 1:3-14
• We tend to humanise God and deify our friends
• We reduce God to human limits but expect people to be perfect

Do Not Expect

• To receive more love than you give to others.
• To never make mistakes nor give expression to your humanness.
• To be always understood by others.
• To be able to please everybody.
• Others always to do your bidding.
• Always to be right and never make mistakes.
• To succeed without taking risks.
• To be able to live independent of others.
• To be approved by others for what you stand for.
• To experience happiness without working for it.

What You Can Expect

• God will always be faithful.
• God will not always give you what you want, but He will answer your prayers.
• God will always be there when needed.
• God will forgive you for being human.
• God will give you strength to follow in His steps.

Happiness is Being Able to Forgive

• Resentment destroys happiness
• "Don't you touch that!"
• Resentment harms the one who holds it more than the one who intends it
• It is the cancer of the emotions
• South Africa - the Truth Commission
• Land Rights and the Stolen Generation
• You will never be a happy person unless you can forgive everyone who has hurt you.
• Forgiveness is one of the essential keys to happiness

Why Forgive?

• Listen to God's Way
• Romans 12:16-21
• Matthew 5: 38-45
• Time Magazine (1984) in response to attempted assassination of Pope John Paul
• Not to forgive is to be imprisoned by the past
• We forgive because God told us to
• And because it's the only way to let go of old hurts that will continue to make us unhappy
• Matthew 18:21-35
• Forgive 70 times 7
• The unjust servant establishes a clear link between the forgiveness we receive from God and the forgiveness he expects us to give to others
• Matthew 18:35 -"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
• The Lord's Prayer

Forgiving and Forgetting

• If we could quickly and completely forget hurts done to us we could be at peace
• But it is not that easy - resentment is strong
• God's gift and answer is forgiveness
• It is because we cannot forget that we have to forgive
• There is no other road to happiness

How to Forgive

• Forgiveness is surrendering my rights to hurt back! – Jesus on the cross
• This asserts that you do have a right to repay hurt done to you
• It is not minimising or denying the hurt that has been caused
• The First step in forgiveness is recognising and acknowledging the hurt done to you
• Take time to review what has happened
• Don't try to channel you anger elsewhere. It deserves to be where it belongs
• Don't ignore the hurt feelings you are experiencing. They won't go away!
• Don't try to forgive at this point by initiating some act of reconciliation. You may only cause more hurt.
• Don't try to forget the hurt by absorbing the pain and disappointment. Forgiveness comes before forgetting.
• Don't minimise your hurt. Experience it at the fullest so that you know what you must forgive.
• When you fully understand your hurt and accept that you have a right to feel this way, then surrender this right back to God
• Just like Jesus on the cross
• Give up your need to even the score
• Forgiving is something you decide to do
• It is a decision of the will made with God's help

Australia Needs Forgiving People

• Forgiveness isn't easy but it works
• Do not wait for others to apologise before you forgive
• You may wait forever
• Always be the first to offer the hand of forgiveness
• Often a secret hand
• And you will be the first to see happiness bloom
• Romans 5:8

Practicing Forgiveness

• Sunday
• Work at forgiving yourself. Anger at self far surpasses all other forms of anger as the destroyer of happiness
• Monday
• Think of each member of your present family and forgive each one individually for any hurts he or she has caused you. Practicing Forgiveness
• Tuesday
• Think of the members of your extended and past family-including those who are deceased or distant-and forgive each one.
• Wednesday
• Forgive your friends and neighbors. They can be a major source of resentment
• Thursday
• Forgive your work colleagues, your fellow club or class members, and other closely related groups.
• Friday
• Forgive the company where you work, the government, and other corporate bodies for all the injustices caused you, both intentionally and unintentionally.
• Saturday
• Thank God for the power He gives you, in Christ, to forgive others. Confess any anger you have toward Him and pray again for His forgiveness of you.

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