Are you happy or unhappy?
Why are people unhappy? Why can’t we find lasting happiness in day to day life. Max Lucado, in his book “When God Whispers Your Name” proposes a reason for the unhappiness we face:
“Unhappiness on earth cultivates a hunger for heaven. We are not happy here because we are not at home here. We are not happy here because we are not supposed to be happy here. We are ‘like foreigners and strangers in this world.’ (I Peter 2:11)… And you will never be completely happy on earth simply because you were not made for earth.
Oh, you will have your moments of joy. You will catch glimpses of light. You will know moments or even days of peace. But they simply do not compare with the happiness that lies ahead.”
Source: Max Lucado, When God Whispers Your Name
Scriptures
Here are some scriptures related to happiness:
- Psalm 37:4-6 – Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.
- 1 Timothy 6:17 – Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.
- Luke 11:28 – Happy are those hearing the word of God and keeping it!
- Psalm 1:1-6 – Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
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Materials
None
Icebreaker Description
Youth will learn a little about each other as they share experiences that have caused them to laugh.
Icebreaker Preparation
No preparation is required if you do this crowdbreaker activity in pairs. If you want to divide people into groups as a crowdbreaker, you can put the following phrases representing the sounds of laughter on pieces of paper as needed for the size of your group. Randomly hand one slip of paper to each youth as they enter the room. Some of these sounds are more easily distinguished than others.
Sounds of Laughter: giggle, hah-hah, hee-hee, ho-ho, har-har, maniac laughter, snicker
Icebreaker Activity
- If you are using the sounds of laughter to separate into groups, have participants laugh according to the slip of paper they have given and try to find others in their group. They may not show anyone the slip of paper and may only communicate using the sound of laughter they have been given.
- Once the youth have found everyone in their groups, they should use a couple of the questions listed below to share with each other as an icebreaker.
Possible Questions
- My most embarrassing moment was…
- The funniest television commercial I’ve seen is…
- The funniest thing anyone ever said to me was….
- The best (clean) joke I’ve heard recently is…
- The funniest person I’ve ever met is…
- The funniest face I’ve ever seen someone make is… (Have youth attempt to create the face for their group.)
- The best practical joke I’ve ever heard is…
- The hardest I ever laughed was when…
- The funniest cartoon strip I have ever seen was…
Debrief
Life is full of funny moments. Yet sometimes, we tend to focus more on the pains than the laughter. In the case of an embarrassing moment, the pain of embarrassment can later be recalled with laughter. Scripture uses a strange statement: “Consider it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds. ” (James 1) While laughter, joy, and happiness are related, they are not the same things. Sometimes they come together, sometimes they don’t. Happiness comes with positive circumstances, but joy can be present even in difficult circumstances. Happiness is external, but joy is internal. Laughter is momentary, but joy is long lasting. Joy ultimately comes from our assurance that God is in charge of our lives and will work all things for our benefit.
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