"I've got the secret." "Your wish can come true." "Newly discovered cure for well-being." "Finally, the formula revealed." Haven't we all read these kinds of appeals and wished they were really true for us? Everyone wishes for happiness and many people pretend to have it, yet few seem to truly possess it. Why is happiness so hard to find? Well, this is your fortunate moment! Pssst…lean in closer. As a mere messenger boy, I can remind you of the real path that leads to it—the fourth chapter of Philippians. In reality, Paul knew a lot about this subject. "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done" (Philippians 4:6, New Living Translation). Look up and read verses 7 through 13 as well. Notice in verse 6, Paul gives three clear instructions for finding lasting happiness and contentment. He says: 1) Don't worry about anything. 2) Pray about everything. 3) Thank God for everything. Hey! Think for just a moment. What if, today, we took this instruction to heart and put it into practice? What if, today—after doing our part with all our might—we decided not to worry about anything? What if when we found ourselves worrying, we stopped and handed the situation over to God in prayer? Now go just a little further. What if we then thanked Him for taking care of the situation? What if we spent most of our mental free time today thinking about what loving care our amazing God takes of us? What would happen then? Paul says in verse 7, if we begin to live this way we will experience amazing peace—a kind of peace we can't even imagine. It is not of this world, it is out of this world! Peace that makes no earthly sense! This kind of peace is so potent and piercing, it has a protective function on our hearts and minds—which only makes it easier for us to stop worrying and be thankful. That sounds like a state of happiness to me, and that is why I call it the secret path! It's secret only because few really find it, but you can. In fact, I am thinking you just did! In verse 8, Paul elaborates on what to think about instead of our worries—whatever is good, true, honorable, pure, lovely, praiseworthy and right. Many things can fall into these categories, but Christ encompasses them all! This is far more than the song lyrics "don't worry, be happy." This is not just "positive thinking," which does not last; this is "spiritual thinking." Further down in Philippians 4:10-13, Paul goes on to attest personally to the truth of this three-step process as he writes from a Roman prison. From behind bars Paul says, "I have learned how to get along happily whether I have much or little…I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little" (Philippians 4:11-12, NLT). Did you catch that verb? Paul learned how to be happy and content. It didn't just happen once he reached his goals. In fact, he claims his ability to be happy had nothing to do with his circumstances, but rather his increased trust in the living God. Paul wasn't exaggerating. He found it, did it and shared it, and is still sharing today. So, happy contentedness is not something that comes once our waistlines have slimmed (though I would not mind some of that), our wrinkles are erased, our houses are organized, our children are successful, our supervisors have thanked us, our minister has appreciated us or our husbands or wives have doted on us. Instead, it is learned as we become prayerful (verse 6) and thankful (verse 6), as we practice spiritual thinking (verse 8), and as we trust totally in Christ (verse 13) even through difficult circumstances. Alright, it is now time for some final questions, the big ones! Does thankfulness characterize me? Do I think about what is good, lovely, pure and right, or do I think about what is depressing, frustrating, unfair and wrong? May I suggest that we get off the old beaten path we have all been on, and try the proven path, the secret path. The secret's out of the bag—use it, love it, but don't lose it. UN