Good AdviceSample

How to Be Happy

Pretend you have kids (maybe you do), but suddenly you have no way of communicating with them verbally or otherwise. If they only have your life as an example, what would they deduce it takes to be happy? The right career, house, weekend activities, behavior, grades, youth sport leagues, clothes, food, friends, entertainment, church? Would they look at your life and realize like the Apostle Paul that godliness with contentment is itself great? We don’t all have kids, but we're all sending God a message about what we think it takes to be happy. Here’s some bad advice: tell others with your life that He isn’t enough. And now here’s some good advice.

1. Make gratefulness a thing. In your life and in the lives you influence, give gratefulness celebrity status. Say it. Pray it. Snap it. Share it. Like it. Thank God relentlessly. Thank people, too, more than you think you should. Realize what you have, and thank God again. Get addicted to praising God for His goodness because gratitude turns what we have into enough.
2. Stop comparing. Comparing yourself to others helps you identify your success about as well as a blender will wash your clothes. It’s twisted. It cuts you and others down. It will mix up your priorities. Plus, no one puts out their dirty laundry. If you just have to compare, compare to Christ and you’ll be cured.
3. Pursue real treasure. Where your treasure lies, there you will find your heart. It’s a good ol’ hymn, Scripture, and truth. No matter what the treasure is, your whole life is a treasure hunt. What treasure is your heart hunting for? Respect at work? Your dream house? Perfect grades, perfect kids, a perfect body, or a perfect date? Or, loving God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself?
4. Realize how you were saved. You didn’t earn it. You can’t work for it. You deserve the opposite. You’ve done everything to lose it. You still aren’t good enough for it. But you got life, and grace, and more life. Because, Jesus.

Pray: Jesus, thank You. Thank You for grace. Thank You for waking me up today. Thank You for Your nearness to me. Thank You for giving up Your life for mine. Whoa. Thank You.