What do you want? What does everyone really want? It’s not money, fame, success, or true love. Those are the means to achieve the goal of HAPPINESS. We want to be happy, though we each believe different things will help us reach that goal.
God’s Word clears up the confusion. Though they may provide happiness temporarily, none of the things listed will bring lasting happiness. Lasting happiness comes from: (1) Choosing God’s will over my own, and (2) Gratitude. Let’s discuss the second. Moses says:
“Rejoice before the Lord in everything you do” Deuteronomy 12:18.
Similarly, Paul writes:
“Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice” Philippians 4:4.
You can always practice an ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE. Find things to be thankful about. Make a habit of looking for the good in every day, in every circumstance. When you feel negative, angry, lonely, sad, confused, scared, worried, or anything else—stop your mind and begin THANKING GOD. Tell him thank you for everything good that you can think of. And thank him for the bad stuff too. Exercise your faith by telling God that you trust him with the illness you can’t heal or the bills you can’t pay or the relationship you can’t reconcile or the problem you can’t solve. Tell God thank you for the opportunity to GROW, and to see His hand at work. It is difficult, no doubt. Thanking God and praising Him in the midst of extremely bad circumstances is very difficult. But it is the PUREST worship you will ever experience. Thank him, trust him, worship him. Rejoice in everything—that is, FIND JOY in every situation. Look hard, trust God, and find things about which you can be grateful.
Nothing will make you happier!
God, teach us to thank you and worship you no matter how hard our circumstances may be.
ΑΩ
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