God wants you to enjoy your life! His strongest desire is for you to prosper and succeed and be in good health [physically], even as your soul prospers [spiritually]. (3 John 1:2). He does not want you to wake up depressed and defeated. Instead, He wants you to wake up joyful, thankful, and with a cheerful heart. It is easy to look at the things that are not working in our lives, but the question is, what is working? What has God given you?
Do you have a family that loves you? Are you married, have children, or have a pet God has given you? Do you have good health, money in the bank, a car, a home, or anything that pleases you? I think you get the picture. I have found that when I focus on all the things that are not working in my life, I tend to become discouraged and feel defeated. However, I can feel my spirit rise when I focus on everything I have. If you don’t already do this, I want to encourage you to thank God for everything he has given you and meditate on his goodness right before you pray for your daily needs. I can promise you that your day will start better when you take the time to acknowledge God’s goodness in your life.
Having a joyful heart, believe it or not, takes discipline. You may say, “discipline,” that does not seem fun?” However, it takes discipline not to allow the enemy or those around you to steal your joy. The enemy will always try to remind you of everything going wrong in your life. However, you have to make up your mind that you will be happy no matter what comes your way. I love this verse that I often declare in the morning, “this is the day that the Lord has made; I am going to rejoice and be glad in it!” (Psalms 118:24). It is God’s will for you to be happy every day and that is why He has advised you to do so in His Word.
No matter what comes your way, choose happiness, love, life, and every other wonderful thing God has made available to you. Remember, life is short, don’t waste your time being upset and unhappy. Instead, be thankful and live life to its fullest!
