True Happiness (Part 5)

Part 1: How Can You Find Happiness?
Part 2: What is Happiness?
Part 3: Why Can't I Just Be.....Happy?
Part 4: Journey To Happiness

And that is the first real clue to happiness. Frances found happiness for herself. True happiness comes from within. Within yourself, within the context of having a relationship with God. With having a busy, active and fulfilling life. With the value and care you give to the 'little' things as well as the big life events. The Bible tells us that a person is happy when he or she reads the bible and meditates on the Word 'day and night.' That does not mean reading a scripture a day, a chapter a day or a book a day. Yes, it means to read the Bible, but, more importantly, it means to know the Bible. It means to become intimately familiar with it, think often about what you have read and then apply it your own life.

It's not enough to know that you are to be 'anxious for nothing' and to 'let your requests be made known unto God' and the 'peace of God…shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Phil 4)' - you have to actually do it! In other words, don't worry, give your cares over to God and allow His peace to settle down upon you! It's not enough to hear Jesus invite us to 'abide' in him and him in us (John 15) - you actually have to do it. Further down in this same scripture, Jesus reminds us that 'without me ye can do nothing.' That seems pretty clear to me - Without him, we can do nothing! So, first things first - nurture your relationship with God and it will nurture you.

The second step is to enjoy the comfort and love that God has provided and stop relying so much on other people to provide it to you. Yes, it would be nice if your kids appreciated all that you had done for them or your husband or wife would say "thank you" for working so hard or cooking such great meals or your boss would acknowledge all the extra hours you put in at work, but how likely is that? Yes, you do a lot for other people and it would be nice to be acknowledged, but you can't depend on that acknowledgement. True acknowledgement, validation, comfort and security come from within. We've already taken the most important step and become connected with God and He is right there, in us, ready and waiting and able to give is what we need to sustain ourselves, find inspiration, lead and guide us and love us unconditionally.

Do you ever think about how much time you spend expecting, demanding or being disappointed in the quality of love you receive from other people? Many times, you are expecting things from people who are not even capable of giving you what you need. A father who will not, cannot, commit his time to his children. Friends who do not or cannot take the time to listen to your problems (even after they spend hours telling you theirs). Children who are more concerned about impressing their friends than expressing gratitude for the meals you have provided or the love, care and concern you have invested in them over the years. Most people are so caught up in their own cares, their own problems, their own lives and do not, and in many cases cannot, show you the type of love you so desperately need.

The solution is simple: Stop depending on others for what you already have within yourself. Tap into what God has already given you and use that Love to give love to others. Turn that dynamic around - instead of expecting love or attention from other people, give it to other people. You will find two things happening as a result of this: 1) You will be sustained from an Eternal and Never-Ending Source and will not be so needy yourself; and 2) you will automatically receive love and care from other people as you give love out freely. You get what you give (you reap what you sow) and if all you've given people are a list of expectations and obligations, then that's what you're going to get back. Receive love from God. Love yourself. Give love to others. Receive love. That's how it ought to work. So give it a try.

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Religion, Spirituality, Christian, Christianity, Self-Help, Advice, Happiness