How can I change my approach without changing the fact that I’m happy in life?

on Feb 11, 2026

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: I’m a happy sort of person. I don’t like to be around negative people, but I’m also confronted by the fact that life does have a lot of negative things that happen. A friend told me that my happy-go-lucky attitude makes them not want to be around me, but I want to be an encourager and a peacemaker. How can I change my approach without changing the fact that I’m happy in life? – H.G.

A: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9, NKJV). It would be wonderful to be known as a peacemaker. While life can be filled with negatives, for those who know the Lord and have a personal relationship with Him, there are opportunities to demonstrate the peace of God in the midst of trouble.

Isn’t it interesting to consider something like a simple battery that has power to illuminate a flashlight? The battery has a positive end, marked by a plus sign, and a negative end, marked with a minus sign. If we don’t put the correct end into the flashlight first, the battery will provide no power at all. Both the positive and negative connections must be made.

Faith in God is a little like a battery; to tap into the power of God, we must be connected in the right way by loving and obeying Him, and feeding on His Word.

Having peace with God and the peace of God becomes more than a flash of momentary light. The Bible tells us to put aside the negative (works of darkness) and instead “put on the armor of light” (Romans 13:12, NKJV), for His people are the light of the world, and this light is found in all that is good, right, and true (see Ephesians 5:8–9). To be happy in the Lord is a rich testimony to His goodness.

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(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)