Article | - 10:49 am
What Does Happiness Look Like?
It’s easy to be happy online. A selfie for Instagram, a dance post for TikTok; no one would know that on the other side of the screen is a deeply sad young girl or boy. Have you ever thought about what people think of you when you’ve always shown a happy face. After all, what’s the point of showing your problems to people you don’t even know? No one shows the negative side of themselves on social media. That isn’t an “attractive” quality, it doesn’t pull in followers or get likes so there’s no point to it.
When someone is truly happy in their every day life a smile comes naturally to them. There’s no need to overthink before posting or worry about what the comments will say. Internal peace isn’t that a follower has to say. Every day at the Universal Church there is a Pastor or counselor ready to help you, free of charge. Maybe you have been feeling down lately and need someone to talk to. you’re tired of having a life online that doesn’t match your life in the real world. Let us help.
Tips to help you online:
– Follow pages that uplift
– Pst what you like, not what others do
– Think before you post. “is this something that represents who I am?
– take a break. Spend time offline and do other things, like praying, reading your Bible, or a book.
Now you can call our helpline 24 hours a day: 1.888.332.4141
Speak to an Online Pastor
I attended the church since I was a child. As a teenager, even though I went to the service, I was completely distant from God. I was a girl who lived by appearances, with fake joy, who showed people that I was fine. But, I wasn’t. I became a lying daughter, I started to hide and be rebellious because of bad friendships.I wanted to be the center of attention.
I started in little ways, like showing off my body and saying things I didn’t say before. On social media, it seemed like I was very happy, but I realized who I was: lonely empty, and dependent on other people. To others I was popular but I was a stranger in my own house and at times I was even aggressive towards my family. My father would want to hug me and I would push him away. He would say he loved me and I did say it back.
Then, I started to question what was the point of having “everything” out there. If at home I despised people who loved me the most.
When I acted like that with my father, I blamed myself later on. I had to deal with the feeling of guilt. I felt bad, I cried in secret, but then I pretend that everything was fine. I knew I need to turn to God again, but I wasn’t ready to do that as yet. As much as I was away from the presence of God I even asked Him for forgiveness.
I would go to the front of the Altar and end up in tears, but I would leave and do the wrong thing again. Even though I knew what was going on with me, I felt like couldn’t change. Until I recognized that I never really knew God. So made a decision that made me become a different young woman and also to change my relationship with my family. I started going to church with the determination to change.
I stopped wearing revealing clothes, I let go of the bad friendship. I started to pray, not as a religious thing or just out of habit, but to really talk to God. Everything changed. I didn’t need to do what I was doing anymore, because God had filled me with His peace and acceptance. Today I am complete, happy and fulfilled. -Sara
Universal News Ed. 392
