My oh my where has this week gone??? Well as usual I can't believe it's Wednesday already and I haven't been here since last Friday...tells me that summer is here and more time is being spent outside than on the computer!! (and I think that's a 'very' good thing!!) We are excited in our family...looking forward to our granddaughter's wedding this Sunday the 29th...seems like just yesterday (it was in November) that they set the date and figured they had a long time to wait!! Hmm and now it's almost here..so much planning, anticipating, and just plain love has gone into this big day!!! Can't wait!!
This morning I came across this devotional and thought I would share it here today...we certainly are thinking happy thoughts...that's for sure!!
More Habits of Happy People
by Debbie Holloway, Crosswalk.com
Family Editor
In my
previous devotional,
I mentioned the first 3 "habits of happy people" according to a list I
recently found. I figured I would share more Happiness Tips and continue
to measure how the wisdom fits into a Christian worldview. So, let’s
look at three
more habits of happy people…
1. Express gratitude for what you have
Gratitude, or thankfulness, is encouraged throughout Scripture. Just a few verses espousing this attitude include:
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess. 5:18).
“Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!” (Psalm 95:2)
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Phil. 4:6).
Followers of Christ are meant to be selfless, other-focused, and
God-focused, not wrapped up in our own temporary discontentment.
Noticing the blessings we
do have, and expressing gratitude for them, helps us remember the big picture: we have already been given the
ultimate gift of life through Christ!
2. Dream big
The most important thing the Bible tells us about ourselves is that our
identity in Christ, and our status as God’s creations and children,
should underscore everything we do. Do you think of yourself as a slave
to sin, or to a static, hum-drum life? Well, Paul says:
“Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and
co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that
we may also share in his glory” (Romans 8:17).
Co-heirs. Sharing in his glory!
According to Christ,
God notices the fate of sparrows – so how much more does he care for
the hopes and dreams of his sons and daughters? Christ also says that
our
faith is strong enough to
move mountains, and that we will accomplish
greater things for his Kingdom than even he did during his ministry. If that doesn’t say “dream big!” – I don’t know what does!
3. Don’t sweat the small stuff
Not only do the Scriptures encourage us to let go of anxiety over
“small stuff” – but God even wants us to relinquish worry over BIG
stuff! Consider this passage from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount:
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will
eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more
important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at
the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns,
and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable
than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field
grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon
in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God
clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is
thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little
faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we
drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these
things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek
first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be
given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for
tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its
own.”
Intersecting Faith and Life: Is active gratitude part of your daily routine? What about anxiety? Is a skewed perspective of yourself limiting your potential?
Further Reading
The Beatitudes (
Matthew 5-7)
Ecclesiastes 3
