Different Kinds of Happy

Happiness...what can you do to attain it? Is there just one kind of happiness? 

Find some activities to participate in - if you are connected to a connection group, you will be 'in the know' as to what is going  at your local group.  If you don't attend here, find a way to get out and do something - join a Bible study, bowling league, book club...something!  The worst thing to do would be to sit around ruminating.  The holiday season is a rough time for us.  

So...Different Kinds of Happy.  I was listening to that song by Sara Groves this morning, and it got me thinking.  I was thinking about how my view of "happy" has changed over the decades.  Honestly, at the stage I am at now, peace is something that brings happiness - peace in my soul, peace in my home, peace of mind.  It definately is a peace that passes understanding - Philippeans 4:7 says "and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

It's so important to guard our hearts.  Proverbs 4:23 says "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."  When you are going through a divorce, and then definately from that point on, you need to be very, very careful who you let in.  It is recommended that you don't date for at least 3 years after a divorce is completed - and even then, with care, caution, and Godly counsel.  

It's not just romance God is talking about when he talks of guarding our hearts, though - I really believe this is a great Bible reference to having good boundaries!! If there are family members that are toxic, even if they are close relatives, sometimes you have to limit contact, to protect yourself...to guard your heart.  It is not easy to set boundaries with family, but it is important.  

Our daughter is supposed to get married today - a very poor decision, on many levels, and we have been loving but firm in our advice to her.  She is not happy that we are not "supporting her" and she has been very verbal about it.  I love her dearly - but I cannot allow her to verbally run us up the flag pole.  She flings a lot of accusations around, she drags the past up - she is capable of inflicting great harm.  Those closest to us are.  So, with much prayer and thought, I consider what I say to her - and what I allow.  It's painful - but more painful still would be to let her continue to hurt us.  We would appreciate your prayers. (Note: a year later it has worked out for the best. She's happily married, and working toward her career!)

Different kinds of happy...remember when you got married?  For many of us, we knew we were making a mistake when we got married (as my hubby and I both admit to with our ex's) - but you get caught up in the romance of it, you rationalize, you are in the whirlwind of love...or, face it, lust.  Or maybe you really loved the person and the person you married changed drastically down the road.  You remember the happy times from earlier years, and you doubt you can be happy again.

The important thing to know is this...happiness is a feeling, a transient thing.  I am grateful when I feel happy - and I have learned to let the little things make me happy.  A beautiful sunrise or sunset.  The migration of butterflies swirling around me on a walk.  Having the health to be able to walk  

Deeper than happiness, though, is joy - and joy is not dependent at all on our circumstances.  It comes from our relationship with God.  Psalm 30:5 says "For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning." There are times of sadness - absolutely.  But in the morning - joy!!

Psalm 51:12 "Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Yourgenerous Spirit".  It's a prayer we can pray when we are downcast - if you know the Lord as your Saviour - wow, that moment you realize that He sent His Son to save you, while you were yet a sinner!! (Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us). Despite knowing the real you, Christ died for YOU!! That joy gives us perspective in our situations.

Psalm 126:5 "Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy."  He sees every tear we cry - and gives us the Joy of the Lord.  What a merciful, loving God!

If you go to your concordance, or a good Bible website such as www.biblegateway.com, and do a keyword search of "joy", it will encourage you!!

If you don't know the Lord as your Saviour and want to know more, please pull one us aside and help us get your on the path to TRUE joy, and hope.  

For those of us that do know Him, please do not let the holiday season drag you down.

This month, November, I encourage you to have a thankfulness journal - write something down, every day, that you are thankful for.  It doesn't have to be deep. Today I was thankful for a garage!  Brr!  But I was really dreading November because it is loaded for me, and I purposed to be THANKFUL.  It has made all the diffference, already.  We all have so much to be thankful for.