The Joy SwitchSample

In Genesis 2:18, we hear God say, “It is not good for man to be alone.” In all of His creation, what was the only thing God saw as in need of improvement? Adam needed a relationship. 

If this is true, you may wonder why relationships can be so challenging. As you consider the relationships in your life, it’s likely you have run into some difficulties at times. Whether at work, home, church, or in sports, relationships can be tricky! 

Brain science says you possess a great gift. Inside your brain is a secret circuit, a relational engine, which oversees and energizes your ability to engage the world—even God. How well this relational circuit is working will have a profound effect on your life. Each of us feels its presence or absence every waking moment, especially in our relational interactions.

There is only one problem. This relational circuit can easily dim or turn off. When we do not know how to correct this, we are in trouble. Once this brain circuit goes off we want to find a way to switch it back on. Otherwise, we relationally flounder. This brings us to the Joy Switch.

The Joy Switch turns on the relational circuit—which changes everything. How well we use the Joy Switch determines if we reach our full relational potential. Learning to use the Joy Switch restores the relational circuit so we stay a living reflection of the person we want to be. 

The single most important relational habit we can develop is learning to live with the brain’s relational circuit engaged. Here is a skill we can learn, practice and improve. This is good news!

Living in relational mode is the way we reflect God’s love and feel connected with God’s peaceful presence so we clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, as we read in Colossians 3:12. 

To help you learn to live with your brain’s relational circuit fully engaged, each day in this YouVersion plan offers practical exercises so you stay fully engaged in joy and peace. 

Practice

1. Think about a time you were clearly in relational mode; you were your fully engaged self. Maybe you were on vacation or out in nature. 

a. What do you notice in your thoughts? Feelings? Responses? 

b. You may want to make some notes to remember how relational mode looks and feels for you. 

2. Think about a time you fell out of relational mode and it was obvious you were relationally offline. 

a. What do you notice in your thoughts? Feelings? Responses? 

b. You may want to make some notes to remember how non-relational mode looks and feels for you. 

3. Photos can remind you of the people and places that help you keep your relational circuit engaged. Look through the photos on your phone and notice which ones make you smile. You may want to mark these as Favorites, so you can easily find them when you have a moment to build your joy.