McNair writes:
God wants us to be happy. Jesus Christ emphasized that in John 10:10: “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” He wants us to inherit eternal life, but He also wants us to find joy in the process of getting there! When Jesus said this, He was echoing what He had inspired Solomon to write almost a thousand years earlier: “I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God” (Ecclesiastes 3:12–13).If one truly is a follower of Jesus and understands what was accomplished, that person knows that the "process of getting there" has already been accomplished. That is why the burden has been lifted and people can rest.
How can every man (and woman) "eat, drink and enjoy the good of one's labor" when 30-40% or more of one's fruit of that labor is required of the church to keep its leadership in their comfortable lifestyles? Its certainly not going to some massive gospel outreach to the world. Is it?
If we are chronically unhappy, we may need to meditate on and tap more deeply into what God is doing in our lives and submit ourselves to Him in every possible way. We must decide that we want to think differently. As former American President Abraham Lincoln famously said, “Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”Chronically unhappy people really need to seek proper help from trained and licensed therapists or a doctor for a potential chemical imbalance in their body and not sit around gazing at their navel for something magical to happen. Going directly to a minister who has had ZERO training in proper counseling techniques may further exacerbate the problem.
A person can be richly blessed with all kinds of wonderful things and experiences in life and still be unhappy or depressed. When one hears sermon after sermon on how they are never are measuring up to the high standards that the church claims its god has set, what happens to a person when they don't meet those standards? Many of the expectations that LCG demands of their members are soul-destroying.
It is God’s desire for us to enjoy life. It is His will that we see life as a gift, an adventure, and a challenge we can brave with His help. With His help, we can optimistically choose to face life as an opportunity for learning and growth, even in the midst of troubles.While this may sound wonderful and a point one strives for, it also sets up a false expectation for members. They have to put on a "happy face" all the time when they are around other church members. God forbid if anyone was ever depressed in front of others. Setting those lofty standards, and I am not saying they are bad, sets the expectation that people are doing something wrong anytime they are not happy.
McNair then goes on to give an example of how to be happy...end consumerism.
Frankly, our whole modern economy is built to encourage us to consume. And our consumption—buying new items and discarding the old—keeps the economy going. So, in a very literal sense, we have come to the point where many leaders of industry, business, and government only see ordinary citizens as cogs in the wheel that keep the cycle of production and consumption going. Why else would we be widely encouraged by the “system” around us to spend rather than save?
If we are not careful, we can begin to view our lives largely in terms of being a consumer, because consumption is what we spend so much of our time and focus on! But life is so much more than just becoming an expert at comparing products and relishing a good purchase.While this is all well and good, in the Church of God movement this concept carries a LOT of baggage attached to it.
How many sermons, member letters, emergency appeal letters, and magazine articles have we read about lowering our standard of living because the end times were here? The church needed more money for that final Gospel push or, as it usually went down, Satan was attacking the church and income had dropped. Then, we find out later, church apostles and leaders were doubling down on the money they were spending to fund their lifestyles, remodel their homes, buy fine art, or remodel their offices at HQ?
Let’s make sure consumption does not become an obsession in our lives. Instead, let’s use the blessings that God has given us to serve Him and serve each other. Otherwise, our work will be nothing more than a futile “grasping after wind.”How many have ever seen Rod McNair financially help others? When has he ever served the regular members of the congregation? Has he ever mowed a widows lawn? Taken the child of a single parent to school? Driven a demon-possessed elderly person to the
Life wasn’t created to be meaningless. We weren’t made to be unhappy. We weren’t made for the sum total of our life to be merely 70 years of consumption. God created us to relate to Him, walk with Him, talk with Him, and—at the end of physical life—to step into an eternal relationship with Him upon our resurrection and glorification.
Yes, this life is temporary. The flesh truly is vanity, meaning “here today and gone tomorrow.” But there is a big purpose for each day we draw breath. Let’s view every day as a gift to be cherished and valued. Let’s impart that mindset to our children, so they know how important they are to God. He loves them and wants them to be happy. And let’s make sure we are using this temporary life to prepare for our awesome, eternal future with God.I can truthfully say that I have seen more vain men in leadership positions in "God's church" than I have ever seen in a people out here in Satan's world. The Church of God was a breeding ground for vainglorious men who are narcissistic and caustic in their leadership roles. They have weighed down the brethren with so many idiotic rules and regulations that members are bound to be unhappy and miserable. And they are! Only until they leave these spiritual abusers will they ever find happiness.
See: All Is Vanity...Or Is It?