Is Happiness Our Only Hope?

January 1, 2017
by Rodney Olsen
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It’s over. 2016 is gone and 2017 has arrived.

Over the last few days there’s every chance you’ve been exchanging the customary greeting of “Happy New Year” with anyone who happens to cross your path. Even while you’ve been trying to grab a bargain at all the post-Christmas sales you’ve probably had complete strangers not only hurriedly scanning your discounted items from the other side of the counter, but wishing you happiness for the next twelve months.

We wish each other happiness as we draw a line under the year that has gone and look forward to the fresh beginnings of a new year. We want the next year to be better than the last.

I’ve heard a lot of people talking about how tough 2016 was personally. I’ve heard many despair at happenings around the world with everything from terrorist attacks to natural disasters, political instability, inhumane treatment of asylum seekers and the heartbreaking situation in Syria. Others have spoken of the many great lives we’ve lost during the past twelve months. It’s no wonder we want a little bit of happiness in the new year.

But is happiness what it’s really all about?

Of course I want to wish you a happy new year but I don’t want it to end there. I want more for you than happiness as you launch into 2017.

Happiness comes and goes and we all know that you’re not going to sail through 2017 with a smile on your face the whole time. There will be struggles and disappointments. I’m not wishing you difficulties but I’ve been on this planet long enough to know that each year will bring a mixture of good and bad. Sometimes there’ll also be extreme highs and devastating lows. With that in mind my wish for you goes deeper.

I wish you joy for 2017.

Joy is different than happiness. It’s more. It’s not so dependent on circumstances. There’s a strength in joy that goes beyond the happy times. It’s a confidence that no matter we’re facing, we can go on.

I wish love for you in 2017.

Love means a lot of different things for a lot of different people. We’ve all been let down, even by those closest to us. That’s not the kind of love I’m talking about. The kind of love I wish for you in 2017 is a deep, abiding love that never changes, leaves or disappoints. That’s the kind of love we need during the tough days in 2017.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow, not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below, indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:38-39

I wish grace for you in 2017.

What is grace? It’s been describes as undeserved favour but there’s more to it than that.

Grace is not only God’s disposition to do good for us when we don’t deserve it. It is an actual power from God that acts and makes good things happen in us and for us.

God’s grace was God’s acting in Paul to make Paul work hard. So when Paul says, “Work out your salvation,” he adds, “it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). Grace is power from God to do good things in us and for us. – John Piper

And more than wishing … I pray these things for you in 2017

I could pray for a happy year for you. I could pray that whatever you do, all runs smoothly. A great job, a close family, healing from illness are all wonderful things that I want for you, but more than that, I pray that 2017 will be a year that draws you closer to the one who created you. I really can’t go past this prayer that Paul prayed for the Ephesian church.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. – Ephesians 3:14-19

Wow. Being filled with all the fullness of God? That sure beats ‘Happy New Year’.

There are many other things I could wish for you in 2017 like hope, peace, strength and wisdom but I’d be interested to know what you’d like to wish for others as we begin a new year. Leave your thoughts in the comments section of this post.



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Soundtrack of My Life – New Year’s Day

December 31, 2016
by Rodney Olsen
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Soundtrack of my Life This is one of a regular series of articles highlighting some of the music that has played a part in my life. You’ll find a range of songs from old to new. Whether it’s the lyrics, the music, a time in my life, or a combination of reasons, the songs in my soundtrack are part of who I am.

If you take a good look you’ll probably find music that has been part of the soundtrack of your life too. You can also check out some of the other songs that make up the soundtrack of my life.

New Year’s Day – U2

I figured that this would be an appropriate song for New Year’s Eve.

I’ve never been much of a U2 fan but their War album remains a favourite. I saw the band at the Perth Entertainment Centre on the last Monday night in September 1984. A couple of things I remember from the night are that it was ear-splittingly loud (I used to go to a lot of very loud concerts back in the eighties but this was so loud it was painful) and that Bono stopped the band halfway through Pride to stop a fight that had broken out in the audience. According to Bono at the time, “No one fights at a U2 concert.”

While the song is almost 34 years old, New Year’s Day just wouldn’t be complete without this one blaring from the stereo.

I’d encourage you to get involved too. Let me know about some of the songs that are etched in your mind. What are the tunes that bring back a flood of memories every time their opening notes start cranking out on your stereo? Are there songs you love for their music and others that speak deeply through their lyrics?



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What will 2017 Look Like?

December 28, 2016
by Rodney Olsen
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The year is rapidly heading towards an end and so I’m wondering if you’re planning to make any goals or resolutions for 2017.

A lot of new year’s resolutions run out of steam somewhere between the middle of January and the start of February but some people do a good job of sticking with their goals and resolutions. (Maybe we’d have more success with ‘new month resolutions’.)

As with every year, I’m sure that many will set all the usual resolutions about losing weight, getting fitter, quitting smoking, reducing debt, increasing income and all the rest.

There’s nothing wrong with examining those areas of our lives but I’m wondering how it would be if we shifted focus. Many of the goals we hear about each year are about a better ‘me’. It’s good to want to develop ourselves and to grow personally but it can become rather self-serving if it’s all one-way traffic.

I wonder what 2017 would look like if we made resolutions and goals about improving relationships with those close to us.

Setting the standard for how we treat others and taking practical steps towards growing relationships is far more important than most of the resolutions we generally make. That shouldn’t mean that those other goals don’t matter but it does come down to priorities. Do you want to start another year with broken relationships or will 2017 be the year you begin to mend the rifts?

Maybe your relationships aren’t strained but could they be deepened? Could this be the year to move the conversation below the surface to wrestle with things that really matter?

I wonder how things would be if we made resolutions about helping those we may not even know but who need a hand up.

What if we made 2017 the year that we would seek to more fully understand the deep needs of others and then partner with them in a way that would move us all a little closer to what we were designed to become?

Do we really just want to focus on making life better for ourselves and those we know or can we extend that concern and care a little more widely? What would 2017 look like if we resolved to care for the marginalised and poor?

Could 2017 be the year that we choose to think more kindly of others?

I’m sure that there were times in 2016 when you faced obstacles that no one else knew about or understood. There were days that you just wanted to put on the brakes, pull over to the side of the road, and take some time out. I guarantee you that pretty much everyone else faced those days too and there will be more of them for you and everyone else in the coming year.

With that in mind, how would it be if we chose to respond with kindness to others even when our natural response is to want to strike out? Maybe that person is just being a jerk but just maybe they’re facing stuff that you don’t know about and could do with being treated more gently than their actions deserve. That doesn’t mean excusing bad behaviour or letting others walk all over you. Sometimes we still need to confront issues but we can choose to do that with kindness as our default.

How would 2017 shape up if we determined that family was more important than the demands of work and then structured our schedules accordingly?

I wonder how 2017 would look if we took our fresh new diaries, whether they be electronic or the old pen and paper kind, and scheduled in chunks of family time before the hours filled up with work appointments.

Whether you use paper and pen or an electronic diary, why not spend some time at the start of the year blocking out time for those you love? As someone who often works odd hours and on weekends, I need to be especially careful to schedule in time for those I love. My 2017 diary already has certain days set aside for significant family events. I now need to add several more blocks of time to spend with those I love.

What would it be like if we decided that 2017 was the year that we would look beyond the physical and material things of this world to discover deeper spiritual meaning?

What if we made the coming 12 months the year that we started asking the deep questions of faith and opened our eyes to the reality of what we’ve just celebrated at Christmas? The true meaning of Christmas is about the baby who was born over 2000 years ago; a baby who grew up to change history.

If you’ve never really considered the claims of Jesus, that he was and is God, why not set aside time this year to look more deeply at this figure who has coloured every part of this world. If you want to know how to explore faith more deeply, feel free to contact me. I’d be happy to begin a discussion with you.

I wonder what 2017 will look like. What are your hopes for the new year?



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Wondering About 2016

December 31, 2015
by Rodney Olsen
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2016 New Year

In all the busyness of this time of year have you managed to set time aside to draft out a few New Year’s resolutions?

While many people don’t believe in making resolutions I reckon that any time that we can sit down and take stock of our lives and make plans for the time ahead is time well spent. If you haven’t yet, maybe you’ll get some time over the next couple of days.

As with every year I’m sure that many will set all the usual resolutions about losing weight, getting fitter, quitting smoking, reducing debt, increasing income and all the rest. There’s nothing wrong with examining those areas of our lives but I’m wondering how it would be if we shifted focus. Many of the goals we hear about at this time of year are about a better ‘me’.

[bctt tweet=”What would 2016 look like if our goals and resolutions went beyond creating a better ‘me’?”]

I wonder what 2016 would look like if we made resolutions and goals about improving relationships with those close to us. I have goals about fitness and better nutrition but how I treat others and practical steps towards growing relationships are far more important. That shouldn’t mean that those other goals don’t matter but it does come down to priorities.

I wonder how things would be if we made resolutions about helping those we may not even know but who need a hand up. What if we made 2016 the year that we would seek to more fully understand the deep needs of others and then partner with them in a way that would move us all a little closer to what we were designed to become? Do we really just want to focus on making life better for ourselves and those we know or can we extend that concern and care a little more widely?

How would 2016 shape up if we determined that family was more important than the demands of work and then structured our schedules accordingly? I wonder how 2016 would look if we took our fresh new diaries, whether they be electronic or the old pen and paper kind, and scheduled in chunks of family time before the hours filled up with work appointments.

What would it be like if we decided that 2016 was the year that we would look beyond the physical and material things of this world to discover deeper spiritual meaning? Our lives are so short and each year seems to go so much faster than the previous. There’s value in giving attention to the ‘here and now’ but not if we do that without keeping eternity in mind.

Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 1 Timothy 4:7-8 ESV

Interesting that we’re told to train ourselves in godliness. Training ourselves suggests a directed effort on our part. If we’re going to direct attention to anything in our lives, doesn’t it simply make sense to direct it to things that are of value in every way, holding promise for the present life and also for the life to come?

I wonder.



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More than Happy

January 1, 2015
by Rodney Olsen
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2015

(This is an updated post from January 2014)

Over the last few days there’s every chance you’ve been exchanging the customary greeting of “Happy New Year” with anyone who happens to cross your path. Even while you’ve been trying to grab a bargain at all the post-Christmas sales you’ve probably had complete strangers not only hurriedly scanning your discounted items from the other side of the counter, but wishing you happiness for the next twelve months. But is happiness what it’s really all about?

Of course I want to wish you a happy new year but I don’t want it to end there. I want more for you than happiness as you launch into 2015.

Happiness comes and goes and we all know that you’re not going to sail through 2015 with a smile on your face the whole time. There will be struggles and disappointments. I’m not wishing you difficulties but I’ve been on this planet long enough to know that each year will bring a mixture of good and bad. Sometimes there’ll also be extreme highs and devastating lows. With that in mind my wish for you goes deeper.

I wish you joy for 2015.

Joy is different than happiness. It’s more. It’s not so dependent on circumstances. There’s a strength in joy that goes beyond the happy times. It’s a confidence that no matter we’re facing, we can go on.

I wish love for you in 2015.

Love means a lot of different things for a lot of different people. We’ve all been let down, even by those closest to us. That’s not the kind of love I’m talking about. The kind of love I wish for you in 2015 is a deep, abiding love that never changes, leaves or disappoints. That’s the kind of love we need during the tough days in 2015.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow, not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below, indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:38-39

I wish grace for you in 2015.

What is grace? It’s been describes as undeserved favour but there’s more to it than that.

Grace is not only God’s disposition to do good for us when we don’t deserve it. It is an actual power from God that acts and makes good things happen in us and for us.

God’s grace was God’s acting in Paul to make Paul work hard. So when Paul says, “Work out your salvation,” he adds, “it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). Grace is power from God to do good things in us and for us. – John Piper

There are many other things I could wish for you in 2015 like hope, peace, strength and wisdom but I’d be interested to know what you’d like to wish for others as we begin a new year. Leave your thoughts in the comments section of this post.



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