“God has actually hooked your brain up in a way that makes you feel good when you give.”

A thought by Henry Cloud, from his book, The Law of Happiness: How Spiritual Wisdom and Modern Science Can Change Your Life (The Secret Things of God) (p. 21). Howard Books. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

Yes, He has!

Henry says, “. . . we are wired for a happy life—sometimes we just have to learn what that happy life looks like.

“While there may be some activities in life that are in question, giving to others is not one of them. Showing acts of kindness and being altruistic are not activities we have to wonder about. If you want to increase your happiness, spend some of your heart, mind, and soul—even your money—on others. Research has shown that when people spend money on others or on charity versus themselves, the money spent on others is the money that returns happiness. Giving actually makes people happier than spending money on themselves.  Giving to others makes you healthier as well as happier. It is good for your mood, your soul, and your body. Studies have shown that giving, helping, and serving is related to mental health, and those who help others have less stress, anxiety, and depression.

 “There are many other findings, much too numerous to go into here, but suffice it to say, giving and serving are good for you. As the old saying goes, ‘the research is in.’ But do we really need research to tell us?

Henry goes on, “My hunch is that you know this. Think back to a significant relationship in your life, a person who caused you to expand your heart and open up to a higher place where you wanted to give of yourself. Do you remember that feeling? But past that, do you remember your actions? What did you do? You gave. You went out of your way. You sacrificed. And what did you feel when you did? ‘Warm inside.’ That is what we are talking about.”

And you know what he is talking about, don’t you? 

Yes, yes!