What makes us happy? Things going well in our lives.
Unfortunately, that means happiness is like a rollercoaster because
life stays in the valleys more often than on the peaks. But there
is some good news in all of this: God can give you something better
than happiness; He can give you joy, a positive confidence you will
feel regardless of circumstances.
What makes us happy? Things going well in our lives. Unfortunately, that means happiness is like a rollercoaster because life stays in the valleys more often than on the peaks. But there is some good news in all of this: God can give you something better than happiness; He can give you joy, a positive confidence you will feel regardless of circumstances.
The key to having joy is perspective. The way you look at a problem, a relationship, an opportunity or anything else will determine whether you are miserable or joyful. A good example of how important perspective is can be found in the following letter to home from a girl away at college:
Dear Mom and Dad,
Sorry to be so long in writing. Unfortunately, all my stationary was burned up in the fire that destroyed my dorm when the demonstrators were looting the campus. The good news is that I’m out of the hospital now and the doctors say my partial blindness should improve with time. The wonderful boy, Bill, who rescued me from the fire, kindly offered to share his apartment with me. He comes from a good family, so you won’t be surprised, Mom, when I tell you we are going to be married. In fact, since you’ve always wanted a grandchild, you’ll be glad to know that next month you will be a grandparent!
Signed, your loving daughter.
P.S. Please disregard everything I wrote above. There was no fire; my eyesight is fine; I’m not pregnant; I don’t even have a steady boyfriend. But I did get a “D” in French and an “F” in Chemistry, and I wanted to be sure you received this news in the proper perspective.
Let’s admit it folks, perspective makes all the difference. What you focus on determines whether you will be joyful or miserable. Making the word “joy” into an acrostic reveals the priorities we need to focus on to have joy:
Jesus… Others… You…
Focus on Jesus first, others second and yourself third. And let’s be honest, most of us arrange our priorities to spell “yoj” instead of “joy.” When your first concern is “what’s in it for me?” you will never experience joy in relationships. Instead, follow the wise counsel given in 2 Peter 1:7, “Learn to put aside your own desires so that you will become patient and godly. This will make possible the next step, which is for you to enjoy other people…”
Another key focus point is how we respond to the hurts that come into our life. Proper perspective involves the realization that every hurt can have a positive outcome. As Romans 5:3-4 tells us, “We can be full of joy here and now, even in our trials and troubles. These very things will give us patient endurance; this in turn will develop a mature character…” And notice God says this joy and mature character is something we can have “here and now” (not “pie in the sky by and by,” but joy now, today!)
But first we need to reject the popular myth that, “When I get all my problems solved, I’ll be happy.” Fat chance. When will that be? Your entire life is (and will be) a series of problems to solve. In management classes, students are taught to call problems “opportunities.” This is a good perspective, because in reality all problems are really opportunities to show where our priorities are.
I can have joy even in the midst of negative circumstances by remembering God is always with me. Read his promise in Isaiah 43:2, “When you pass through deep waters I will be with you; your troubles will not overwhelm you… the hard trials that come will not hurt you. For I am the Lord your God!” No matter what you are going through today, God wants you to know He is with you.
