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Be yourself! When you have nothing to prove you will be free to be yourself. God made each of us different and gave each of us the freedom to be different. The potential to be the real you is there. But discipline is required to bring it out. In life, to enjoy any art or any sport there must be discipline. Discipline requires effort and energy. Yet in Christ your discipline is to be relaxed, with noting to prove, because you are accepted with him. This is discipline out of rest. “Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it (Heb. 4:1).” God’s rest is knowing you are not only forgiven, but accepted, with nothing to prove. Therefore, you are changing and growing, and learning to fly (Matt. 11:29).
Think of three reasons you are glad to be you and three reasons you are glad to be you and three things you like about yourself. You are now on your way to enjoying who you are. Joy is something you are. Who you are is more important to God than what you do. Joan England says, “A bird doesn’t sing because he has an answer; He sings because he has a song.” Christ has set you free by accepting you and loving you!
Understanding God’s grace frees you to enjoy life and play. Each day is a gift from God. So is His creation. When He finished making the world, God said, “That is good.” To enjoy it you must wonder at it and play with it. Isn’t that what children do with everything, including their food?
R.L. Shepard says Christianity is not doing the things no gentleman would do, but “doing things that are unlikely to occur to anyone who is not in touch with the spirit of Christ.” Why not do something unusual? Wear your hat backwards, climb a tree, fly a kite, walk barefoot. Don’t be timid. Take a chance. Give yourself permission to enjoy life. Get rid of the guilt that says you can’t enjoy life. The fruit of joy comes from the overflowing peace within. You can’t force fruit. You must let it happen from within. Let the joy and rest of God flow.
What stops you from enjoying life? For many it’s fear of others. God says “The fear of man brings a snare (Prov. 29:25).” It puts you into bondage and robs you freedom. Reestablish your relationship with God, with your spouse—based on who you are, not on what you do. Be yourself, with nothing to prove and be free and have rest.
Be thankful! For the thankful are blessed. “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thess. 5:18).” Two truths help me to understand this. (1) Oswald Chambers: “Whatever you can praise God for has lost its power to defeat you.” (2) If you are selfish, you won’t be thankful. If you are thankful, you won’t be selfish.
Few of us grew up in homes with lots of singing to the Lord or joyful praise and thanksgiving, where beauty, truth and the goodness of God were expressed with conviction and emotion. Without that, hearts become spiritually handicapped. But we can still limp forward in God’s therapy of grace.
This requires reprogramming the mind. Negative input harms spiritual health. The Holy Spirit will make you feel guilty about the negative, sinful things you watch, read, or do (1 John 3:20). We must reduce our intake of negative television news and entertainment. This is garbage! The old principle about computers is true: Garbage In—Garbage Out! This garbage brings fear, which causes people to be negative and to avoid adventure and risk. Chuck Kraft put it this way: “Garbage attracts the rats; if you remove the garbage, the rats will go away.” Stay away from negative people and negative media.
Craig Massey, in his article, “Pulling through depression,” says, “While it may be difficult to admit, depression is deliberate choice.” The exception may be moods triggered by physical conditions, but your choice makes a difference. Thanksgiving as a way of life. Praise and thanksgiving are positive forces that not only drive out doubts and depression, but cause evil forces to be defeated (2 Chron. 20:20-23; Ps. 149:5-9; acts 16:25-26).
In his book, Dark treads the Weaver Needs, Herbert Lockyer shares the experiences of praising, thankful Christian coal miner, Billy Bray. He was persecuted but never discouraged. When his persecutors wanted to shut him in a barrel, he said he would shout “Glory!” thorough the bunghole. He had the joy and comfort of the Lord in spite of what was happening to him. He named one of his feet Glory and the other Hallelujah so wherever he walked he would express words of praise. Lockyer said Billy named his feet, not the roads because some roads might lead to gardens and others to gloom, but his feet sounded their message of praising no matter where the road led. His daily prayer before going to work was, “Lord, if any of us must be killed today, let it be me. Let not one of these men die, for they are not as happy as I am. If I die today, I will go to heaven.” Billy’s assurance of heaven was his key to praise and thanksgiving.
Praise acknowledges God for who He is. His character qualities of love, mercy, grace, and holiness help you know Him better, for God inhabits the praises of His people (Ps. 22:3). Thanksgiving shows gratitude for what God has done for us or others—salvation, friends, blessings, and gifts. Things don’t satisfy for long, but out relationships with God and people can. This is why thanksgiving is the will of God (1 Thess. 5:18).
Discipline yourself to count you blessings, to think, ponder, and respond to life. Praise and meditation is the foundation of wisdom and knowing God. Reading is the foundation of knowledge. Worship is the pathway to blessing. Time with friends brings love and enjoyable experiences. When you can laugh and pray, your burdens are lighter.
Relationships are most important in life. Unless this is your attitude, you face the danger of life and people slipping away from you by the mere passage of time.
Here are some suggestions to get you out of a rut. At dinner everyone eats with the opposite hand. You will eat slower and learn something. When you say grace, thank God for each thing on the table—the forks, spoons, salt, coffee. By learning to thank God for the little things, you create a joyful heart. Have an appreciation session or share special blessings.
When was the last time you put on some good music and did nothing but listen or dance in praise to God for who He is? Joy must radiate from the inside out. Living with gratitude frees you to enjoy God and others.
Each morning, thank God for life and the day. With your heart in praise for God’s provision and grace, worry, fret, and anxiety will disappear.
The secret of contentment—enjoying life is now your! Remember to enjoy today. Stop and look. Be yourself. Be thankful. “This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength (Neh. 8:10).
Think of three reasons you are glad to be you and three reasons you are glad to be you and three things you like about yourself. You are now on your way to enjoying who you are. Joy is something you are. Who you are is more important to God than what you do. Joan England says, “A bird doesn’t sing because he has an answer; He sings because he has a song.” Christ has set you free by accepting you and loving you!
Understanding God’s grace frees you to enjoy life and play. Each day is a gift from God. So is His creation. When He finished making the world, God said, “That is good.” To enjoy it you must wonder at it and play with it. Isn’t that what children do with everything, including their food?
R.L. Shepard says Christianity is not doing the things no gentleman would do, but “doing things that are unlikely to occur to anyone who is not in touch with the spirit of Christ.” Why not do something unusual? Wear your hat backwards, climb a tree, fly a kite, walk barefoot. Don’t be timid. Take a chance. Give yourself permission to enjoy life. Get rid of the guilt that says you can’t enjoy life. The fruit of joy comes from the overflowing peace within. You can’t force fruit. You must let it happen from within. Let the joy and rest of God flow.
What stops you from enjoying life? For many it’s fear of others. God says “The fear of man brings a snare (Prov. 29:25).” It puts you into bondage and robs you freedom. Reestablish your relationship with God, with your spouse—based on who you are, not on what you do. Be yourself, with nothing to prove and be free and have rest.
Be thankful! For the thankful are blessed. “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thess. 5:18).” Two truths help me to understand this. (1) Oswald Chambers: “Whatever you can praise God for has lost its power to defeat you.” (2) If you are selfish, you won’t be thankful. If you are thankful, you won’t be selfish.
Few of us grew up in homes with lots of singing to the Lord or joyful praise and thanksgiving, where beauty, truth and the goodness of God were expressed with conviction and emotion. Without that, hearts become spiritually handicapped. But we can still limp forward in God’s therapy of grace.
This requires reprogramming the mind. Negative input harms spiritual health. The Holy Spirit will make you feel guilty about the negative, sinful things you watch, read, or do (1 John 3:20). We must reduce our intake of negative television news and entertainment. This is garbage! The old principle about computers is true: Garbage In—Garbage Out! This garbage brings fear, which causes people to be negative and to avoid adventure and risk. Chuck Kraft put it this way: “Garbage attracts the rats; if you remove the garbage, the rats will go away.” Stay away from negative people and negative media.
Craig Massey, in his article, “Pulling through depression,” says, “While it may be difficult to admit, depression is deliberate choice.” The exception may be moods triggered by physical conditions, but your choice makes a difference. Thanksgiving as a way of life. Praise and thanksgiving are positive forces that not only drive out doubts and depression, but cause evil forces to be defeated (2 Chron. 20:20-23; Ps. 149:5-9; acts 16:25-26).
In his book, Dark treads the Weaver Needs, Herbert Lockyer shares the experiences of praising, thankful Christian coal miner, Billy Bray. He was persecuted but never discouraged. When his persecutors wanted to shut him in a barrel, he said he would shout “Glory!” thorough the bunghole. He had the joy and comfort of the Lord in spite of what was happening to him. He named one of his feet Glory and the other Hallelujah so wherever he walked he would express words of praise. Lockyer said Billy named his feet, not the roads because some roads might lead to gardens and others to gloom, but his feet sounded their message of praising no matter where the road led. His daily prayer before going to work was, “Lord, if any of us must be killed today, let it be me. Let not one of these men die, for they are not as happy as I am. If I die today, I will go to heaven.” Billy’s assurance of heaven was his key to praise and thanksgiving.
Praise acknowledges God for who He is. His character qualities of love, mercy, grace, and holiness help you know Him better, for God inhabits the praises of His people (Ps. 22:3). Thanksgiving shows gratitude for what God has done for us or others—salvation, friends, blessings, and gifts. Things don’t satisfy for long, but out relationships with God and people can. This is why thanksgiving is the will of God (1 Thess. 5:18).
Discipline yourself to count you blessings, to think, ponder, and respond to life. Praise and meditation is the foundation of wisdom and knowing God. Reading is the foundation of knowledge. Worship is the pathway to blessing. Time with friends brings love and enjoyable experiences. When you can laugh and pray, your burdens are lighter.
Relationships are most important in life. Unless this is your attitude, you face the danger of life and people slipping away from you by the mere passage of time.
Here are some suggestions to get you out of a rut. At dinner everyone eats with the opposite hand. You will eat slower and learn something. When you say grace, thank God for each thing on the table—the forks, spoons, salt, coffee. By learning to thank God for the little things, you create a joyful heart. Have an appreciation session or share special blessings.
When was the last time you put on some good music and did nothing but listen or dance in praise to God for who He is? Joy must radiate from the inside out. Living with gratitude frees you to enjoy God and others.
Each morning, thank God for life and the day. With your heart in praise for God’s provision and grace, worry, fret, and anxiety will disappear.
The secret of contentment—enjoying life is now your! Remember to enjoy today. Stop and look. Be yourself. Be thankful. “This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength (Neh. 8:10).