Are you living a life that brings you joy? Statistics have shown that the most common ailment of many people worldwide is anxiety. Worry takes over and contentment takes a backseat.
I hope that you are a believer in Christ, my friend because this post is not about happiness. It is about a deep-rooted JOY that can only come from Jesus. We all want to be happy and never want to hear bad news or learn about awful tragedies that befall others.
But this is life and mishaps and heartbreaks are a part of life. However, there are some things that you can practice that will help you to live a life that brings you JOY.
Here are 4 of them:
- Serve others; put them first
- Find your purpose and pursue it
- Mentor someone so they can skip the pitfalls you made
- Be grateful for your life and take time for fun
1. Serve others; put them first
You’re probably shaking your head right about now because this one is hard. I know that it is and you do too but it is worth it. This is part of what we need to win others for Christ. It is also part of what we need to minister to our brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Develop a heart of servitude. Help someone and allow them to lean on you. Life is not all about you. Listen, this is for me too because I tend to put myself first. I’m probably the only one who does this but if by chance you do too, please try esteeming someone higher than you.
“When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”
John 13:12-14 ESV
2. Find your purpose and pursue it
Your purpose is God-ordained. It is a part of you that was predestined before time began. God knew before your parents conceived you what your purpose is on this earth.
The way to live a life that will bring you joy is to find out exactly what God created you for. If you are uncomfortable with where you are and what you are doing and if what you are doing is not bringing glory and honor to God then your not fulfilling your purpose.
I want to challenge you to purchase the Purpose Driven Life because this book will change your life. I have gone through this book several times and I still use it as a reference now and again.
Another way that you can pursue your purpose is to seek God. Pray, pray, and pray some more. Jesus is the lover of your soul so you could never talk to him too much.
Once you find out why you were placed here on earth pursue it passionately and give God the praise.
Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
Prov.19:21 ESV
but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.
3. Mentor someone so they can avoid life’s pitfalls
In the New Testament, we saw that many of Jesus’ close disciples were also women. Can you think of one woman in that time who you would have loved to glean and gather knowledge from? I think of Lydia the seller of purple.
She was a business owner and a firm believer in Jesus. She was a well to do woman but she was responsive to the needs of the disciples and took them in.
I would ask her how she got started in her line of work and became so successful at it. I would also ask what was her daily routine or practice to keep Jesus at the center of her life.
Can you think of a woman, not just in the New Testament but in the bible who you would have loved to mentor you?
I know that you can. Well, look around you. All the information that you have gleaned over the years can be shared with a mentee. We all need to be a mentor and a mentee. Once there is life, we should never stop learning and progressing. And as we learn and progress, let’s pass on the things we’ve learned to someone else.
So, here is the challenge; become a mentor and a mentee.
4. Be grateful for your life and take time for fun
There is only so much time that we have. Life is short and death is sure; so make the most of the time that you’re given.
Honestly, all we really have is today because tomorrow is never a guarantee. To live a life that will bring you joy, you’ve got to have gratitude and live every day as if it’s your last.
Yes, you will pursue your purpose, put others first, and mentor someone else while also being mentored but you will pause and take time to enjoy this world in which we live. That means going on vacation to places you’ve never been, enjoying nature and the part of the world in which you live, and preparing for eternity.
God wants us to always keep in mind that today could be the day that he returns. So, while being grateful and enjoying life share your faith and live a life that brings you JOY.
If you don’t have the joy of the Lord dwelling in you and you want to have the joy that was talked about in this article read here.
Anxiety may be the most common illness but God is greater click here and gets encouraged to let go of fear.
Is the life your living bringing you joy?
What can you do differently that can cause joy to be a constant in your life? Let me know in the comments.
Thank you for stopping by.
I love you with the love of Christ. Join me as I seek to love everyone God’s way.
Keneesha 🙂
