Over the years, Americans have been reporting they’re less happy, according to the World Happiness Report, a survey that rates global happiness. The United States ranks 14th out of 155 countries in the 2017 report, down from 13th last year. The survey shows Norway is the happiest country on the planet.
“There’s a real sense of community in that country and support for each other; community-building relationships (are) very important,” Dr. Linda Mintle, a licensed family therapist, told CBN News. “That’s one of the things that we really struggle with in our country is we’re getting much more isolated,” she continued.
“It’s the human things that matter,” said John Helliwell, according to The Associated Press. “If the riches make it harder to have frequent and trustworthy relationship between people, is it worth it?” he asked. “The material can stand in the way of the human.”
As a therapist who’s a Christian, Mintle looks to the Bible for guidance when it comes to the topic of happiness. “I really struggle with this idea as a Christian of always looking for happiness,” she told CBN News. “I think the Bible is really clear that… we can have joy. We can have the joy of the Lord, and the Scripture says that is our strength.
“We can be content according to the Scripture,” Mintle continued. “Paul talks about no matter what is going on around me, I can be content because of who Christ is in me, knowing that he has me, that he’s guiding me, that my steps are ordered, all the promises of God. So I think rather than pursuing some kind of happiness that’s out there, it’s better to pursue that contentment and that peace that you find in the Lord. And then have the joy of the Lord as your strength, and that does get represented a lot of times as happiness.”