Who doesn’t want to be happy? But if you’re waiting for the perfect moment to find happiness, you’re just wasting your time. The moment to be happy is now. If you postpone happiness until you have conditions that suit you, you will never experience it, because happiness is something created, with God’s help, within yourself.
How do you create happiness from the inside out? By following the advice of the Apostle Paul: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:4). Here are some ways to begin:
1. Take Control.
Joy comes to those who have power over themselves, who are not conceited or self-absorbed, who do not judge everything by how it relates to them. “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit” (Philippians 2:3).
One of the worst things that can happen to a person is to become the victim of self-love or self-pity. The more you practice self-love, the more aches and pains you will have, the less vitality, the fewer healthy relationships.
2. Find Your Mission.
Happiness lies in basic and simple things, not in something artificial like the latest technology or exotic vacations. The individual who isn’t doing anything with his life except to serve his own interests and build his own comfort will never know joy and happiness.
The individual who finds something useful to do beyond himself, who gives himself, that person knows joy, real deep joy. And it is Jesus Christ who stimulates people to have a meaningful, happy life. If you want to be happy, expect little and give much. Become like Jesus, who “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38).
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3. Trust God.
Believe that God is in control of every situation. This trust will bring you great inner peace. Be successful if you can, but when you do experience failure, don’t let it throw you. And don’t let success go to your head. Be calm and unruffled in the midst of life. Tense, perfectionist people are not happy. Relax into Christ’s promise, “Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
4. Cultivate Peace.
To be happy you have to have a certain amount of inner tranquility, not taking your trials and troubles too seriously, not letting your emotions rule your life. Happiness eludes the super-sensitive or quick-tempered person. Do the best you can, then put the details of your life in God’s hands. Remember, “In quietness and confidence shall be your strength” (Isaiah 30:15).
Rest in the Lord. Wait patiently for Him. Let Christ direct your thoughts. And you will possess one of the greatest secrets in the world: how to be happy.
