Happiness

Happiness

By Lisa

I was thinking about joy and happiness the other day and realizing that I hear so many people complaining that life is hard and that life is unhappy.  Well, yes, life is hard…but that’s to be expected.  But we don’t have to let a hard, fascinating life make us unhappy.  I get caught in the trap, as well, at times so I am not without fault.  When life gets overwhelming and difficult I start feeling

unhappy.  But you know what?  Happiness is a choice.  I have a choice on whether or not to be happy.  I have a choice on whether or not to grumble.  Sure…life is overwhelming, fascinating, and at times hard.  However, it is full of joy, too, and so often people miss out on that because they are too worried about other things.

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Proverbs 17:22 states, “A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.” Proverbs 15:13 expands on this by saying, “A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.”  If we decide to be unhappy, we can break under pressure and fall apart into a land of misery.  But have you ever tried on a smile, while throwing the frown into the back of the closet, when you are having a bad day?  It is amazing to see what good it does to the rest of our body.  It makes everything very nice and much better…  Just try it.  Choose the smile instead of the frown.

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Even when things are going wrong, there is always something for which to give thanks and praise Him.  Psalm 27:6 has a great verse on this, “And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.”  No matter what the circumstance, we can always praise Him and thank Him for something – especially His gift of salvation.  This is also exhibited in Psalm 68:3, “But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God; yes, let them rejoice exceedingly.” 

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Happiness is a choice.  And it really comes from an inner joy deep down within our heart which God can provide.  We truly have so much for which to be thankful.  Just remember Psalm 118:24 – “This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” 

“Rejoice in the Lord always.  Again I will say, rejoice!” Philippians 4:4

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