How to Be Truly Happy...

"I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live."

Ecclesiastes 3:12 NIV

❇︎ Seek the Lord. According to Matthew 6:33, seeking the Kingdom of God and getting right with Him first, will open the door to His provisions, which includes happiness. "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you." (CSB) In context, Jesus was talking about not worrying over every little thing because God will provide. And what does worry do? It steals joy. Happiness is based on circumstances and people. Neither of which can ever give you true happiness, a.k.a. joy. Joy is based on God. And God, who is consistent in His presence, character, and goodness, is the way to being and sustaining true happiness. Seek Him, get right with Him, and then you'll be truly happy day in and day out.

❇︎ Be content. "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'" (Hebrews 13:5 NIV) Dissatisfaction is the destroyer of happiness. When you want more or better, you can never be truly happy. If you, instead, choose to be content with what you have, then you open a door to happiness that money can never buy. How exactly can you choose to be content? You begin by enjoying God's presence and acknowledging His provisions. The more you see God as enough, the more content you'll be, and the happier you'll become.

❇︎ Give gratitude. Sowing seeds of gratitude whether in worship or prayer will result in a harvest of happiness. "For everything God has created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude." (1 Timothy 4:4 AMP) Thanking God will continuously reap happiness in your heart. Give Him gratitude not just for the big or little things in life, but also for the hardships, the hurt, the heartaches. Why? Because even those are used by God for your greater good. You may not feel happy during the hardships, the hurt, or the heartaches, but you can be grateful, and God can turn gratitude into happiness in time. Hang onto Him and give thanks.

❇︎ Live in the present. When you worry about the future or stay concerned about the past, you miss out on living in the present. The present is a gift. True happiness comes from enjoying the moment you're in because God is present in every moment. "Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can." (Ecclesiastes 3:11-12 NLT)

❇︎ Keep a positive perspective. No matter the circumstance, you can find something to be happy about. Use that, then, to keep a positive perspective. This kind of focus will help you maintain the joy of the Lord. "I may have messed up that interview, but I'm happy I had one; "I really wish it wasn't raining, but I'm happy the earth is getting watered; "I feel terribly sick today, but I'm happy I'm not sick like this all the time; "I may have lost everything, but I'm happy I still have God." There really is always something to be happy about. I know it's not easy to be happy, but finding something positive to focus on will help you seek the Lord, be content, give gratitude, and live in the present--all steps to being truly happy. "A happy heart is good medicine and a joyful mind causes healing, But a broken spirit dries up the bones." (Proverbs 17:22 AMP)

"Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray.

Are any of you happy? You should sing praises."

James 5:13 NLT