In October 2020, the Wheatly Institution released a comprehensive study of 16,474 individuals titled, “Religion in the Home.”
The study was conducted in 11 countries, located in North and South America, Europe and Australia. The report focused on how practicing one’s faith can dramatically impact believers’ lives.
The report contrasted the lives of those who are very secular, with those who are most serious about faith.
In this study the word “secular” describes individuals who over the course of a year never attend a worship service nor engage in private spiritual practices, like reading scripture or praying.
It compared them with those who are most serious about their faith, meaning they attend a religious service at least weekly and engaged in daily study and prayer as a family. Should you want to explore the study in more depth the full report is available at https://wheatley.byu.edu/religion-in-the-home.
The research found those most serious about their faith are roughly four times more likely to feel their lives have meaning and purpose than those who are secular. It also demonstrated that those who are most faithful in practicing their faith are significantly happier than their secular counterparts.
For example, women in relationships where both partners are deeply committed to regularly practicing their faith are twice as likely to feel emotionally close to their partner. Similar results were found for deeply religious couples when it came to making joint decisions and managing their money. Perhaps most surprising, they also enjoyed significantly higher levels of sexual satisfaction in their relationships.
I am not surprised those with little or no faith find life less meaningful, but I am sorry their lives are less fulfilling. There are real-life implications when we adopt a world view that God either does not exist or is irrelevant.
The Wheatly report confirms those who do not include God in their lives are measurably less happy and less fulfilled.
Jesus made this statement about the impact of including God in our lives when he said, “… My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” (John 10:10, NLT)
The Wheatly study appears to confirm Jesus’ words. Those who practice their faith most faithfully tend to live more meaningful, happy and better adjusted lives.
I have been a pastor for 40 years and know not every person of faith is consistently happy and not all believers are well adjusted. However, according to Jesus, this scholarly study, and my own personal experience, there is a clear and observable connection between faith and “a rich and satisfying life.”
Tim Richards grew up in Fairdealing and previously served as associate pastor of Pilgrim’s Rest Church there. He currently serves as a pastor on the staff of Concord Church in South County St. Louis.