Going to church will make you happy?
How do you FEEL on Sunday morning … before church?
Many of us may view this question with some discomfort because we don’t feel as holy as we think we should. We have not been in prayer since 6am, we are not fired up with Holy Spirit, we are not really looking forward to today’s 25 minute preach however “well prepared”, we may need to employ superhuman feats of organisation and persuasion to get the family there on time, and …… well sometimes we’re just really tired; (yeah me too … and I’m the one preaching!)
If any of that is familiar to you then you may be pleasantly surprised by the conclusions of research that attending church regularly is a HUGE contributor to your wellbeing.
“One of the most robust findings of happiness research is that people who believe in God are happier”
Nick Spencer
There is of course some detail …
Having faith is a huge plus to your wellbeing.
Studies on this topic tend to disagree on the extent of this statement. They do not disagree on the fact of this statement.
Some reports, such as the secular World Happiness Report* commissioned by the UN state that religion enhances life-satisfaction but only in poorer countries in helping people to extract meaning from intense hardship and look forward to better times. However the report later adds that 75% of research does point to a positive effect of people’s faith, especially as a “stress buffer” for life’s most painful events such as bereavement.
Other studies are much more positive.
“Research mostly into Christianity has found a correlation between life-satisfaction-measures and religious certainty” Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit, UK
Successive authors point to research that taking your faith seriously and regularly getting involved with other like-minded people provides a major boost to your wellbeing. As well as finding a sense of meaning and purpose to life, it has the side-effect of making us happier, more content. On the other hand, attending church only for social reasons has limited benefit for our wellbeing.
This wellbeing benefit of faith is in addition to the benefits of community and social interaction. Simply being actively engaged in giving to a community is in itself a contributor to wellbeing – see previous post – but church brings together all three: faith, community works and social interaction.
Having faith is a huge plus to your local community
It has been recognised many times that faith communities as well as being good for their members are good for the wider communities in which they live. Nick Spencer* explains how in just one area of the UK 5,000 community projects involving 45,000 faith volunteers were identified, giving their time and talents freely – and it saves the Government money:
“Across the country, we have tens of thousands of fantastic faith-based charities. Every day they’re performing minor miracles in local communities”, David Cameron
He could have added: “…and it doesn’t cost the Government anything!”
As well as the effects of faith on wellbeing, let’s summarise this whole series:
So how CAN we be happy?
To end this short series of blogs, let’s rephrase the question.
“How can we be happy” is a limiting question since “happiness” is itself ill-defined. Let’s move beyond the mythical happiness we see in those Christmassy films, or we imagine happened in a distant childhood, and let’s embrace instead the idea of “resilience”.
“Happiness can be a rather flimsy and escapist idea….. In contrast, the idea of resilience carries with it a tough earthiness and the capacity to bounce back from setbacks”, Ann Morisey
Developing resilience is not easy (it won’t happen overnight) but it is straightforward. Here’s the summary:
- Cultivate gratitude as a daily and momentary habit
- Intentionally engage in activities; that have a positive impact on the lives of others
- And actively enjoy and contribute to the church community of which you are part
These are just 3 ways we have discussed in this series –none of them are beyond you. And in developing resilience I believe you will find along the way that you are, indeed, happy.
Also in this series:
- Buying Stuff Will Make You Happy …?
- Relationships Will Make You Happy…?
- Infographic: How to be Happy
*Resources: World Happiness Report, by The Earth Institute; Bothered and Bewildered by Ann Morisy; Doing God by Nick Spencer
This blog was also published by The Baptist Times
It’s interesting that this article mentions that going to church regularly helps people to feel like their lives have a purpose. I’ve been struggling to feel like I know my life’s purpose a lot for the past year, so I would like to start attending a Christian Baptist again like I did when I was in college. I’m going to see if there is a good Christian Baptist church that holds regular religious meetings in my area.
I do hope you find one Enoch — lmk how you get on 🙂
I am thinking about attending a church in my area and it is good to know that going to church has so many benefits! It makes sense that it improves well being because it increases faith, community, and social interactions. It seems like a great way to make friends and find a community of believers to talk to and bond with.
Thanks for reading and commenting Rosie — I hope and pray your search for a church goes well — do let me know!
Thank you Rosie — do write and let me know how you got on finding a church!
I can’t help but think of a conversation I’d have from time to time with my mother whenever I had to miss church for some reason or another (travel, a sick child, etc.). She would say something like, “Jaynie, the church isn’t going to fall down if you miss it one Sunday.” My response was always the same thing: “I’m not worried about the church. I’m worried about me. I need help!”
Chris Biblical definition of happiness is not a sense of exhilaration and merriment though it helps, but its a sense of peace and satisfaction… That’s a deeper sense of happiness… and then when you can find some merriment and exhilaration, excitement and fun, its nice too but often an over exertion for those types of feelings can be a way to fill a void.. A truly happy person does not rely on that to feel good inside.. LOVE is a huge contributor to happiness as is self esteem.. When you love and care for others, you might worry for them… Read more »
What the authors of these surveys probably don’t realise is that happiness, call it ‘joy’ if you wish, is not a destination. It’s a mode of travel.
Abraham Lincoln said that …‘most folks are as happy as they make their minds up to be.“ Faith without works is did said James. To me that means getting out there as a Christian and putting what you have learned about your faith to work. Sitting and reading about it is fine but unless you put it into action you will never know and experience what it means and feels to make others happy by what you did. It could be visiting in a nursing home where all too often the elderly have been placed and seldom see their family… Read more »
Happiness is a weak and generally secular substitute for profoundly greater and deeper states of being. The preceding discussion of research into correlates or consequences of faith mentions meaning and purpose, buffering to stress, well-being, satisfaction, contentment, fulfillment and (especially, as I see it), joy. These are not synonyms for happiness; they are more genuine and (I think) more scriptural consequences of living faith, to which ‘happiness’ is a weak and fleeting copy. Happiness is certainly not a destination, as Stephen Green points out just above. Brian’s quote from Lincoln connects with more recent cognitive-behavioral approaches to human psychology: thought (and… Read more »
I like what Stephen said in his comment above, and as William elaborated. Happiness is a byproduct, not a goal. We were placed on earth to glorify God, and as long as we are fulfilling that responsibility, joy or happiness just naturally happens, even through tough times:
“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2–4.
I would say there’s a huge difference between ‘happiness’ and ‘joy’ and we would do well to avoided conflating the two. Happiness is temporal and fleeting, whereas joy, true joy, is eternal and not based on circumstances, rather the foundation is our relationship with Christ.
Great topic, Chris; and many eye-opening perspectives! Yes, I believe that faith contributes significantly to happiness, and by happiness I make the deduction that its an inner happiness (Joy) as what many refer to in the post. I live in a country where this is quite evident. The very affluent and the very poor. And from my perspective it almost seems as though our poorer communities (those who live by faith) are happier or shall I say more joyful. On the opposite end of the spectrum — where we have all kinds of material comforts, there appear to be substantially lower… Read more »
The above Linked In comments are a selection of comments received when this blog was posted to the Christian Professionals Worldwide interest group on Linked In. If you are interested the full discussion may be found here (membership required): https://www.linkedin.com/grp/post/3470–6054286607580672003?trk=groups-post-b-all-cmnts
Certainly agree that headlong ‘pursuit of happiness’ for its own sake is a mistaken paradigm which the world tries to sell us in many different forms. Getting involved in social, missional activities within a framework of purpose driven faith is far better for our overall wellbeing. Thanks Brian
I agree generally speaking . Faith enables you to make the best of and navigate difficult times.
The community aspect also is a big g plus, how much this is directly to do with faith so much as being connected I’m not sure
I have to say having a faith makes for a general state of ” feeling better” than before. It’s a destination you arrive at.
Thanks — actually I think faith is the start of the journey with lots of turns and twists and some confusion too.. Perhaps its also something else that we arrive at 🙂
Thanks — actually I think faith is the start of the journey with lots of turns and twists and some confusion too.. Perhaps its also something else that we arrive at 🙂
Different for everyone probably Chris. For me in some ways the — on the face of it small step from ” probably ” to ” I am a believer / Christian “, has massive consequences in terms of how you view life’s ups & downs. Appreciating the good ( blessings ) and coping with the bad ( challenges).
In terms of feeling happier it was part of becoming comfortable in ones own skin, with who you are and being accepting within that context.
Thanks — actually I think faith is the start of the journey with lots of turns and twists and some confusion too.. Perhaps its also something else that we arrive at 🙂
My Christian faith, going to church and listening to Christian Music Radio (KLOVE or KLTY) definitely help me stay happy. When you are focused on helping others you automatically forget about all of your own worries. I’ve noticed the absence of worries enhances happiness. Christians know that “the Lord will provide,” so why worry? My faith also keeps me going when the going gets rough and helps me bounce back from adversity too. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” As a Christian Soldier in the War on Poverty, I started HowToFindWorkNow.org back in 2012 and I… Read more »
Glad to see your recognition of focusing on others and the part that plays in your own wellbeing .….….….… and I have also enjoyed KLOVE Radio when travelling on the West Coast!
I do happen to agree. I have always been a Christian, born and raised. However, for a short time I stopped going to church and began to lose my faith in an unhappy place. Since returning to church and following my religion once more I am much happier and everyone has noticed it
Thanks — I wonder hos much of your sense of wellbeing is down to your relationship with God, how much is down to your relationship with others, and how much is down to your being in a place where you can serve others ?
Sure Chris, my relationship with God has strengthened my relationship with others, made me reflect on my own personal self and put me in a much brighter, happier and more positive place than ever before. So I guess its a combination of all things but all lead back to my newly restored faith and the ability to leave my life in God’s hands to follow the path he has mapped out for me!
well, i agree going to church makes you happy, for me i can say it has changed my life, it gives me a sense of purpose, a reason to move from home and interact with people. I am a novice at the moment and have met many people who are really helping me to understand, these people are also like my family, so i enjoy going. I think there is nothing better than going to church for the feeling it gives you, at the moment i am helping someone who is helping me, but in a different way, and we… Read more »
Brilliant — being a “novice” is the best place to be! Or at least.… don’t lose your enthusiasm!
Brilliant article Chris!
🙂