I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from beginning to the end. I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil-this is God's gift to man.   Eccl.3:9-13.

There are sounds of fury everywhere.

Anger has become a familiar neighbor in every town and hamlet.

Discontent resides on every corner.

Every soul is in a state of disquiet.

Misery is the order of the day from Wall Street to Main Street.

In a country where everything is available and anything is possible whose motto is “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” there exists much unhappiness.

For so many, happiness remains just out of reach---an elusive impossible dream.

In Polk County, Fl., a twelve year old girl, a victim of bullying, commits suicide.

In the state of Nevada, a young student murders a beloved teacher.

In the state of Massachusetts, a troubled 14 year old slashes the throat of a 24-year-old promising instructor

What motivates us to shut down a government, risk our standing in the world community, threaten the global economy, damage the lives of our fellow citizens?

We have lost sight of the goal.

We have become distracted by the obstacles and impediments during the journey of life.

We must remind ourselves every day that that this is not the end of the story, we shall not pass this way again, we have not arrived at our destination.

We will never be totally comfortable here because we are not home yet.

We are on our way to a city whose builder and maker is God where eternal joy is the standard.

Meanwhile, during our sojourn, to maintain our sanity and apprehend some measure of happiness, there are certain facts you must recognize and understand since to "have a nice day" is easier said than done.

You will not, nor need not know everything.

You will not find an explanation for every act.

The knowledge you possess is only what you have acquired up to this point and that is not everything known in the universe.

You are not all powerful and cannot manipulate every circumstance according to your tastes or dictates.

The day we walked out of the Garden of Eden we gave up our right to be rulers and control our own destiny.

We entered a fallen, sinful world full of despair, and everyone born thereafter was conceived in sin and shaped in iniquity.

We started a downward trend that has progressively worsened with each succeeding generation.

There are forces beyond your control and two powerful spiritual beings with whom we must contend on a daily basis.

One is so formidable and persuasive that he convinced angels in heaven that they would be better off in hell.

The other is omnipotent. He created the former, the entire universe, all that dwell therein and everything must move and give way at his command.

Furthermore, He is the source of all joy.

Do you think your limited knowledge, wisdom and ability would be any match for them?

Therefore, to escape this wilderness relatively unscathed and realize the goal somewhat intact there are certain things that you must do. We must reconnect with the source of joy and happiness.

To find the solution and correct the problem we must, as he commands, be born again and start anew.

Our whole independent attitude, demeanor and outlook must change and we must learn to work with Him whether we find it inconvenient, distasteful or not.

It is not possible in this atmosphere to find fulfillment and satisfaction with our strength and upon our own merit.

Any effort on our own part without His help will leave us hopelessly unsatisfied and in a deeper hole of misery than when you began.

This world is difficult enough to traverse and navigate with His help that it becomes impossible to do so without.

If you are unconvinced read the accounts of Samson, Job, Joseph, John the Baptist, Paul or Peter.

He has not and will not show you everything from beginning to end.

When you cannot see His hand at work, you must trust His heart of love.

You must believe that His plans for you are good even when they do not seem so.

Since this world is unduly influenced by the evil one, is fleeting and temporary,  the best one can hope for is to be reasonably happy with the confident expectation of supreme joy in the life to come when we finally make it home, and we are safe and secure in the bosom of Abraham forevermore.