Mindfully living in the present moment and enjoying all the blessings from God that He provides in each minute of our life gives us an eternal focus that brings peace and joy to our soul. Worrying about tomorrow will only rob us of this focus, destroy our serenity, and stop the perfecting work of patience in our life (Matthew 6:34).
Usually, the uncertain issues that cause us distress never happen. They are simply figments of our imagination, expectations from worldly influences, or lies straight from the pit of hell. We combat this conundrum by focusing on living from our spirit, which is where Christ dwells within us, rather than functioning from our soul – our feelings and thoughts.
Another issue that robs us of joy is negative “self-talk,” which comes from critical comments made to us in the past, current adverse interactions with others, negative beliefs about our self, trying to live up to the expectations of others, following the dictates of our flesh, or believing demonic lies that infiltrate our mind.
Adopting an attitude of compassion and grace toward our self and believing what God’s Word proclaims about our worth helps us to access the comfort provided for us by God’s Holy Spirit. We can also learn to respond to our thoughts, emotions, and needs in the same sympathetic way that we show to others.
Getting enough physical exercise and drinking and eating fresh, whole foods changes our mood and keeps us physically healthy. Carbs, fast food, sugary drinks and snacks, fried foods, energy drinks, etc. give us a quick jolt of vitality, but the downside is the physical and emotional drain that follows this type of lifestyle.
We live in serenity when we journal our negative thoughts and feelings, care for our needs, encourage our self when we feel “less than” and insecure and embarrassed, and turn over to God anything that we cannot change (Serenity Prayer).
We can also make a habit of caring for our self with the same commitment and dedication that we care for others. Looking for the positive side of every situation and trusting God to work out every issue for our good brings a flood of joy to our soul (Romans 8:28).
Prayer:
Father God, thank You for providing Your Holy Spirit to give us Your peace and joy throughout each moment of our day. Help us to choose people as our close friends who encourage and lift us up, rather than those who belittle us or drain our energy. You call us to love and aid everyone, but not to enable people or to surround our self with those who rob us of Your joy. Teach us the balance between work and playtime, as well as earthly pursuits and spiritual goals.
Help us not to focus only on what we perceive with our human understanding, but to have faith in the unseen aspects of living in Your will for us. Remind us not to fill our schedule with busyness, or to isolate our self from others, but to follow Your Spirit’s direction for our time and activities. We are so grateful to have Your presence in our life and to know without a shadow of a doubt that we will spend eternity with you.
Thoughts for the Day:
Our joy comes from knowing God in a personal relationship, and our current circumstances have nothing to do with it. Concentrating on attaining earthly possessions, working toward worldly accomplishments, and surrounding our self with an overabundance of people and busyness will rob us of a true, deep, and fulfilling joy.
