You Don't Even Know It

There is a very interesting prophecy of Jesus about the Church of the last times, which I very often reread, knew by heart, studied many times, and didn't even notice that it existed. I didn't think about what it was saying.

It's also interesting that the Lord delivers His message specifically to those who will live at the very end of the last times, that is, to us. And this revelation was like a flash of bright light for me, thanks to which I saw what I didn't see and didn't know.

I was also very surprised that this message carries a rebuke to me because there is something in my life that shouldn't be there. And the Lord's words apply not only personally to me but to all of us, to God's children.

I suggest not speaking in riddles, but to learn about what we don't know yet. We read Revelation 3:17: "You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked."

Well said, right about our generation. And what did you learn? What did you hear? A familiar verse, often read by everyone.

Now attention! Let's read again, but for now only what needs to be seen:

"But you do not realize that you are wretched!!!"

To understand what misery is, and why we are so pitiful, it's necessary to know what happiness is, and what it is not.

I'll jump a little ahead.

Friends, studying the science of happiness, I realized that we simply don't know that it's a mystery, like the science of love. We hear words about happiness, but how it looks in life, one can only guess or see in movies. Although in life, we are all happy, and we don't even doubt it. And the Faithful Witness very clearly says that I am wretched, and I don't even know it, because I invented my own happiness and hid in it, considering myself in some sense possessing such a state.

If I don't understand what it means to be happy, and how this mechanism works, then sometimes I will experience it as something spontaneous, temporary, and unpredictable. And every time I will wait for influence from outside to enjoy life a little.

But if I know how Jesus thinks about what happiness is, and how to have it and live with it, then it will become manageable and constant, not fading in difficult moments of life, turning on at the first request. And, of course, a happy person is able to teach other people happiness very quickly if he himself understands what it is.

What words does the Sermon on the Mount begin with? With the teaching about happiness that people have lost. And it ends with a parable about two builders who decided to build this very happiness, only on different foundations. The first thing that came out of Jesus was His desire to see us all happy. He simply deeply grieves, seeing how we, having so many blessings, suffer in the shackles of our stereotypes, wish each other emptiness and run after the wind, trying to catch dust and make it our possession. And happiness is very close. It is accessible. It is at the distance of my decision and understanding.

But one decision is not enough.

For example, if I wish to become rich or very rich, it will be an interesting and even very interesting decision. And then what? I need knowledge, I need experience, I need money to fulfill my dream. And the path to such a goal lies through many trials, disappointments, losses. And if I finally solve this problem, I understand that I'm still only on the way. Remembering the paths I've traveled, I realize that not everything is so simple, but it's not difficult when you go in this direction. But it's impossible to become rich with a poor man's mind. All the millions that will come to me will not stay in my hands, but like water, will pass through my fingers and disappear in the sand of unnecessary expenses.

The same thing happens with happiness. Only one who has the mind of a happy person can be happy. And for this, knowledge, experience, and courage are necessary. Being happy is a challenge to the whole world, which offers a surrogate and a fake, which has trampled all the principles of happiness into the mud, replacing it with temporary, shaky, sensual, but very pompous and attractive pleasure and enjoyment.

From all sides on the advertisement of happiness, we see smiling faces, beautiful objects, wonderful landscapes for relaxation. And the soul dreams of having this, but you have to work hard to achieve all this. And we plow like oxen just to taste a piece of this cherished happiness. And life passes, and there's nothing to remember. And my whole life path is like a squirrel wheel, in which there is a lot of movement, but little sense.

And the Lord, looking at me, with love and hope, says that I am wretched and accordingly pitiful, and poor, and blind, and naked. And I show him the Bible, where all the strong thoughts are highlighted in red, my deeds that speak for themselves, my faith, and my nose held high. And He invites me to visit His store to acquire what will make me truly happy and rich.

I really want you, after reading this lesson, to understand who you really are in God's eyes, and what is necessary to become what He wants to see us.

Being happy is like the life of an athlete who trained to participate in the Olympic games, achieved victory, and stands on the podium, rejoicing in the path traveled. And he constantly fights with new rivals who dream of becoming better and taking his place.

Only in the Heavenly struggle, happy people do not deprive others of happiness, but do everything possible so that their neighbors reach the same height as they do. But the spirits of evil in the heavenly places hate truly happy people and constantly fight with them, wanting to throw them off the winners' pedestal and plunge all their joys of victory into the mud.

It's impossible to become a champion at the Olympics without intense training. And there are the same principles of applying effort to achieve victory in a happy life. There's no way to do without struggle and patience. But we have an excellent Trainer. He prepares Heavenly champions of happiness, love, and friendship, and those who have chosen His school will never regret it.

And to start building your house of happiness, it's important to understand what happiness is not. Then we won't use poor-quality material for construction. It's worth destroying the old and rotten structure that cracks and periodically collapses. It's necessary to draw up a plan and approve it in the Heavenly executive committee, to understand what you want, and most importantly - to get up and go, to start the path of a happy life, regardless of obstacles, wars, diseases, catastrophes, crises, hunger, sufferings that occur around.

Happiness is not always a wide smile and cloudless sky, it's rather God's peace and complete satisfaction with the inner harmony of my spirit in conjunction with eternal values.

And the advantage of agape happiness is that I can take it to Heaven. It will be mine forever there too, to please me, Jesus, my neighbors, and thanks to it, I will always be able to come up with new plans to conquer new territories where happiness exists, but my happiness is not there.

It's difficult for me to agree with Jesus' statement, but, comprehending the science of a happy life, I understand that He is right and knows what He's talking about. And I'm so grateful that He, having begun a good work in me, brings it to perfection in all fullness, adding His grace to my efforts. And so we always go together.

Questions for reflection on this chapter:

1. Please read Matthew 7:24-27; 1 Corinthians 9:24-27; Revelation 3:14-18,21; 16:15; 22:7; Zephaniah 2:3; 3:17; Isaiah 61:3-6; Luke 5:36-38; Romans 12:1-3; 1 Corinthians 2:10-16 in light of this chapter.

2. What new things did you learn from this chapter?

3. Does Jesus' statement that you don't know something about yourself apply to you?

4. Does Christ's very statement about my true wretched state give hope that He has a solution to this problem?

5. Do you believe that the Lord wants to see us happy and does everything for this?

6. Are you set for a happy life? Are you afraid to change the usual state of mind to a happy one?

7. What laws of happiness are you already familiar with from the lessons of this book?

8. Is happiness something collective or personal, or both?

9. After studying the lessons of this book, do you believe that you have a chance for a happy life?

10. Is happiness a gift from God or my decision?

11. Are you set to build happiness?