Keeping your Spiritual Battery Full

I bought my first smart phone about a year ago. At the time, it was the top of the line, but it had one known issue, the battery would not keep its charge for long. At most, you would get six or seven hours of charge, if you didn't use it much.

Knowing that I spend most of my time either in my car or at my desk, I did not consider this a problem, and it has not been. I bought a car adapter and an extra USB cord so I could keep it plugged up while on my 45-minute commute to work and while I am at the office. Problem solved. I rarely ever run out of battery. As a matter of fact, my phone has 100% battery most of the time.

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Our spiritual and emotional lives work the same way as the phone's battery. When we stay connected to Christ, we have a full battery, are at peace, love others, and can lead a life that brings glory to Him. We can even function "unplugged" for a little while.

However, there is danger in letting our battery run low. That is when we start running into trouble, living depressed, discouraged, frustrated, angry, anxious, etc. What I have observed in my life, and the lives of others, is that not only do we not "plug" ourselves often enough, a lot of us go through life with an empty battery, and only occasionally do we spend enough time with Him to get even a marginal amount of spiritual charge back. We run on empty all the time, and when we do get a little charge back, we consider it a supernatural touch of God.

Being filled with His spirit, life, encouragement, and strength, should be the rule, not the exception.

So, Why don't we live this way?

When I bought my cell phone, I was very aware of the problem, and I created a plan to address it!! I bought the extra chargers, and I developed the discipline of plugging the thing in as soon as I got in the truck or to my desk.

It is the same thing with our spiritual lives. You, me, and every other Christian out there have a very low "battery life," and we all need a plan to keep ourselves charged!!

What is your plan? How are you planning on staying charged-up?

Charge yourself often!!! Plug into God at every opportunity!!! Start living your life on a full charge, instead of a burned-out one!!!

Keeping the WHY in mind

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Do you loose sight of why you do what you do?

I was supposed to be spending a relaxed and friendly family night with my wife, playing Super Mario Bros. on our Wii, but it turned out to be a lot less relaxed or fun than we had expected.

I lost sight of the fact that I was playing and got into "performance mode". Every time my wife would do something that I did not agree with or my Mario character would die, I would become frustrated and upset, which is not a great way to spend a night of marital entertainment.

Let me clarify, I probably had about three billion lives left, so I could have continued dying and re-playing those level until I was blue in the face without any problem, but I lost sight of what I was doing. I was supposed to be having fun. Instead, I was in performance mode trying to "get it done."

I lost sight of the WHY behind the WHAT!!!

Next time you are starting to feel frustrated or upset, take a quick break and ask yourself, "Why am I feeling this way? What am I doing? Why am I doing this? Is this really that important?"

Sticks and Stones

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me"

You have heard that saying before. You have probably also heard people disagree with it in resent years. I have to admit that it bothers me when I hear people disagree with that (non biblical) proverb. It is not that I think they are wrong in their disagreement; it's just that they have taken the saying out of context. The phrase is not incorrect; it is just incomplete. Additionally, it was originally deviced as a means to teach children how to react to insults. It's original intent was to teach children not to react physically to verbal insults, and to ignore them. Which is something that a lot of adults also need to learn.

Zig Ziglar quoted a little girl who said, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will break my heart."

Here is my version of it, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me, unless I allow them to"

You, as an adult, have the power to choose whether other people's words will hurt you or not.

If someone approached you and tried to correct you by telling you that 2 + 2 is not equal to 4, you would probably laugh, ignore them, and continue living your life in peace. Why would this correction make no impact in your life?

Because of your confidence that the assertion is mistaken

You should be able to respond in the same way when anyone approaches you and corrects you in any way, as long as they are mistaken in their assertion.

Whether they are bringing up a character flaw, an attitude, action, or they are calling you every name in the book; as long as they are mistaken, you should be able to ignore them and keep living your life without disturbance. So the question is, why don't you react in this way? Here are the two possible answers to that question:

A. They are not mistaken and their assertion is correct, or
B. You are insecure about yourself

Today I want to challenge you to inspect the way you react to people during conflict. Are you confident enough to say to yourself, "They are wrong," and GRACEFULLY ignore them?

Or, if they are correct, are you humble enough to accept that they are correct in their assertion and ask for forgiveness, instead of becoming defensive?

How to Reduce Frustration

"Whoever restrains his words  has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding."  Proverbs 17:27, ESV

I had two people become seriously upset at me this  morning as I was driving to work. Apparently, I was not driving fast enough  for them. What I do not understand is why would they become so upset when  they could clearly see that there was someone in from of me blocking my  way. I was already going ten miles over the speed limit; there was no way  I could possibly go faster. Traffic would not allow it, and I would not  have gone faster even if it had been a possibility.

Life is full of annoying  little instances that cause frustration, delays, inconveniences, and so  forth. Some other instances are not so little, and can be much more painful  and difficult than traffic; these are a topic for a different post.

The  two drivers I encountered this morning were obviously shortsighted. They  could have avoided some serious heartache if they would have taken time  to look a little more carefully and think before reacting in anger. I hope  they have a different attitude towards their families.

We can save ourselves  a lot of frustration by having a little more knowledge and understanding,  like the proverb states. It is a matter of keeping a level head and analyzing  the situation we find ourselves in. It is a matter of understanding that  the past cannot be changed, but it can be learned from. It is a matter  of understanding that people are sinful, and they will let us down. It  is matter of understanding that no one can be perfect, including yourself  and your spouse (if you have, or will have, one.)

Undesirable circumstances are inevitable, but can be reduced by studying them, and learning how to minimize their occurrence.

How often do you find yourself angry, upset,  or frustrated simply because you did not take the time to step back and  look at the situation in more detail before reacting?

How To Be Happy, Part 10

Study, continued.

Last time we talked about the importance  of continuing studying, applying what we learn, and growing closer to God,  as a continual process to achieving great happiness (or Joy) in our lives.

When I first started writing this  series, I intended to make it two or three posts long. I had no idea how  extensive it would end up being. And it is much more extensive then what  we have covered so far. As a matter of fact, it is just as extensive as  the bible is. And I am not posting a copy of the bible 400 words at a time.

So, visit our Articles or enCOURAGE  pages, where you will find additional articles and resources that are directly  related to this topic. Keep on studying and growing closer  to God, that is the ultimate way to achieve any degree of happiness and  joy in life, and that is what these articles are aimed at helping you achieve.

How to Be Happy, Part 9

Study.

"My people are destroyed  for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you  from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your  God, I also will forget your children." Hosea 4:6, ESV

The pursuit  of happiness, then, becomes a process of identifying those aspects in our  lives that need to be changed, and changing them. If you are perfectly  happy, then you should continue doing what you are doing. If you are not  happy with your life, then change is necessary. In order for change to  be effective you need to know WHAT to change, and HOW to change it. In  order to gain this, or any other kind of knowledge, study is necessary.

Many  a time I have read a book or scripture to find myself having more knowledge  (knowing "what" to change) at the end of the task, but having  had no effect on my character or performance. Studying, therefore, is not  enough. You must also apply what you learn in order to effect change (this  is the "How" part, plus a little bit of work and discipline).

"It's  not what you got, it is what you use that makes the difference" Zig  Ziglar.

I have heard it said that "If you always do what you've always  done, you will always get what you've always got." The same concept  is expressed in the, now cliché, definition of insanity according to Albert  Einstein: "Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but  expecting different results."

The amount of knowledge and advice in the  bible is more than any person could ever understand or apply in a lifetime.  Telling yourself otherwise is lying to yourself.

Saying that people never change is a great mistake. People can change their nature, if they ask  God to change it for them. People CAN change their character and habits.  People change; as a matter of fact, people are always changing and never stay the same.

If you are not studying, and applying what you learn, you  are not progressing. If you are not progressing, you are regressing. There  is no such thing as staying the same. You are either progressing or regressing.

Lets  think about this, what is the purpose of pastors, counselors, psychologists,  psychiatrists, and mentors? Isn't the very function of the people in these  positions to help others change?

Yes, it is. If people could not change,  there would be no such things as pastors, counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists,  or mentors, because they would have failed a long time ago. They are still  around because they have been successful at helping people change themselves, and their lives, for the better!!

The same change is possible for you  and I!!

How to be Happy, Part 8

It is all about Choices.

It is one  thing to understand, at the logical level, that God is good, that he loves  us, and is in control. At an emotional level, it is a different deal. I  get very anxious at negative thoughts that present the idea of financial  insecurity.

Logically, I know that God is hugely powerful and loving and  He will provide for me. At the emotional level, I do not.

It is my understanding  that, if you truly believe something, it should change the way you feel  about that specific thing. For example, if I TRULY believed with all my  heart soul mind and strength that God would protect me and provide for  me, I would not become fearful and anxious at the first sight of trouble.  My natural reaction would say: "No big deal, God will see me through  this." This would happen at an emotional level, allowing me to keep  my peace.

Is this your natural reaction when faced with trouble or uncertainties?

Our  sinful nature, Satan, and the world, work hard at keeping us focused on  the things we don't have, on instant gratification, selfish ambitions.

So  far, we have discussed things such as our thoughts, focusing our mind on  Him, giving him thanks, and being obedient. All these things are choices.  They are disciplines that we choose to develop or choose not to develop.

Beyond  the ages-old argument of predestination versus free will, one thing cannot  be disputed; the actions I take have consequences. If I make a good choice,  I reap the benefits. If I make a poor choice, I reap the consequences as  well.

Happiness then, is a choice. We choose to develop those disciplines.  We choose to practice them (persevere) until they become an automatic part  of who we are (habitual or instinctive, a second nature.)

So today I want to challenge you  to commit yourself to practicing these disciplines. I want to challenge  you to CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY!!!

Video: Amazing Grace - By Il Divo

I think this should be the "Christian Anthem."

His Grace is Truly Amazing.

Have you stopped to consider that the Son Of God, The Creator of Heaven and Earth, humbled himself in coming to live amongst us, sinful creature, and DIED FOR YOU AT THE CROSS!!!

This is the same God that Louie Giglio talks about in the video I shared a few weeks ago!! (See Louie Giglio on The Star Maker)

This is the infinite God that holds the entire universe in the palm of his hand, that created EVERYTHING by the sheer power of his spoken word!!

THAT IS TRULY AMAZING!!

How To Be Happy, Part 7

Obedience.

I remember that I used  to be grounded a lot when I was growing up. I don't know about you, but  that was not, and continues not to be, my idea of happiness. Well, now  I am older, and beyond the authority of my earthly parents. They have lost  their ability to discipline (and sometimes punish) me, but I am still not  grown up. Nobody ever stops "growing up." So, instead of my parents,  it is God the one who disciplines me now.

"For the Lord disciplines  the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." Hebrews  12:6, ESV (and Proverbs 3:12.)

So far, we have talked about focusing on  Him, and living in thanksgiving towards him. Well, you can do those  all day long, but if you disobey, you will cause God to exert His discipline  upon you. That does not yield a happy life.

If you discipline yourself,  God won't have to!

God gave us His commandments, in part, so we may know  how sinful we are and how much we need Him. Additionally, I fervently believe  that he gave them to us as blueprint of how to live our lives in a fulfilling  way, in the optimal way.

He created us. He created this world. He gave  us life. Don't you think that He might have a better idea of how to live  this life than we do?

Those who go out of their way to fight and disobey  his commandments, only work towards building a life of misery and dissatisfaction  for themselves. And God will let them!!

Have you read the Sermon on the  Mount lately? If we go through life judging other, we are only judging  ourselves and making our own lives miserable. If we go through life relying  on what other's think about us in order to feel good about ourselves, we  will be unstable, people pleasing, miserable, creatures.

All the commandments  given in the bible, whether in the Sermon on the Mount, in the Old Testament,  or elsewhere, were given with one goal in mind, to show you the way towards  leading a happy, healthy, and long life.

"I will instruct you and  teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon  you. Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be  curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you." Psalm 32:  8-9, ESV

How To Be Happy, Part 6

Does God want you to be happy?

Life is not all fun and games, life is full of pain, fear, and unpleasantness, so lets look at scripture and think about this together.

Lets think about heaven. Heaven is supposed to be the perfect place, with unimaginable joy, no tears, no pain, no sickness, no fear, no stress, no hunger, no thirst, nothing that is bad, and everything that is great and enjoyable in infinite amounts. God intends us to live in this condition for the rest of eternity. Why would he want us to live in misery right now?

The answer is, he does not. However, because of sin, this world has been corrupted and these "undesirable" factors are now an unquestionable reality.

The bible is full of promises. God promised perfect peace to those who keep their focus on Him (Isaiah 26:3, Philippians 4:4-7). God promised to sustain us, and provide for us, and protect us. God promised us that everything would work out (Romans 8:28). Why would he promise all those things?

He promised those things because he knows and understand the difficulties of this life. He gave us those promises so we can trust in him during the difficult times. So that, in that trust, we can release control of those things, along with the fear, worry, and anxiety associated with them, to him and enjoy our lives in the midst of the though times.

I do not remember worrying about bills very much when I was younger. I was very aware of our need for shelter, clothing, and food, but I had complete trust that my parents would take care of it and nothing would be lacking. It never occurred to me that they would fail and we would find ourselves in need. Nowadays, however, it seems that all I do is worry about bills and finances.

If I can have such absolute trust in my earthly parents, why can't I trust my infinite, all-loving, all powerful, heavenly father for the same things now? This is part of having that child-like faith that Jesus mentioned.

The first step towards enjoying your life is believing in God, and believing God!!

It is not enough to believe He exists; we also have to believe that He will do the things that he has promised!

Believe that God wants you to be happy and enjoy your life!!

Stay tuned, there is still more Happiness coming up.

Let's Grow Together!!!

How To Be Happy, Part 5

Thanksgiving continued.

A couple  of weeks ago, I gave my son a balloon, a huge, "happy birthday,"  balloon. It was not his birthday. It was the birthday of one of the guys  at the office, but knowing how much my son loves balloons, I asked if I  could keep the helium-filled item and take it home for him.

My son received  the gift with a somewhat detached reaction at the unexpected gift. It took  him a while to start playing with it. When he finally did, he played with  it delicately and softly. After a while, however, his boyish self came  out and he started treating it with the roughness associated with eighteen  months old boys. My heart cringed at this. "I hope he makes it last"  was my comment to my wife. She wisely pointed out that I should let him  enjoy it in whichever way he wanted.

Have you had anything like this happen  to you? Have you ever given someone a gift and were not appreciated in  return?

I must admit that I had anticipated great excitement and thanksgiving  from his part when receiving the gift. So I was slightly disappointed when  he did not express as much excitement as I thought was due. I did not feel  appreciated.

God gives us gifts in the same way. They are unexpected gifts,  out of his selfless love for us. Now, besides the fact that God has perfect  expectations because he already knows what we call "the future;" how do you thing HE feels when He gives us gifts that go, at best, unappreciated  and, at worst, treated with contempt?

Do you express gratitude for the  gifts he gives you? Do you take care of them?

Taking good care of the  gifts he gives us is one way we can show appreciation towards Him. The  bible refers to this as "stewardship." Are you a good steward  of your body, your health, your mind, your time, your family, your friends,  your finances, etc?

It is important to take time to think about what He  does for you, thank Him, and show appreciation to Him by taking good care  of what He gives you. These disciplines will not only help you develop  greater trust and intimacy with Him, they will also help you start focusing  on what you DO have, instead of what you DO NOT have.

Join us next time  as we venture beyond the topic of thanksgiving, and onto other aspects  of How to Be Happy!

Lets Grow Together!!!

How to Be Happy, Part 4

Thanksgiving.

My wife bought a book  with 101 things to be thankful for. It was a very simple and small book,  but I learned one important lesson from it. One of the entries in the book  read something like this:

"Thank you God that I have dishes to wash."

This  short statement made a big impact on the way I look at thanksgiving. How  often do I complain about a dirty house, instead of thanking Him that I  have a house to clean and I do not live in a homeless shelter or under  a bridge?

How often do I complain about the tremendous effort of mowing  the yard every week, instead of thanking him for giving me a huge yard  where my children will be able to play, and grow, and have fun?

How often  do I complain that my wife cannot read my mind and do things the way I  want them to be done, instead of thanking him that He has given me the  most amazing woman I have ever met as my helpmate, companion, and friend?  If truth were told, she is a great tool that God uses to point out just  how selfish and self-centered I am. How often do you think I have thanked  him for that?

Thank you Lord for using my wife to reveal my sinfulness  to me, to show me how selfish and self-centered I am!!

Well, that is one.

Now  it is your turn. What have you been complaining about that you should have  been thanking Him for?

The simple habit of turning every complaint into  a prayer of thanksgiving could change your life!

I'll see you next time,  when we will continue this series on How To Be Happy!!

Lets Grow Together!!!

How to be Happy, Part 3

Thanksgiving.

Last time we looked  at Philippians 4:4-8, and said that one of the keys to being happy in life  is keeping our focus on Him. Lets think about that scripture some more.

"Rejoice  in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness  be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything,  but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your  requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all  understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally,  brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever  is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence,  if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Philippians 4:4-8, ESV

Today I wanted to share with you the importance  of being thankful in all things, of praying with thanksgiving, which requires  faith, but can be a tremendous peace-inducing discipline in your life.

The  scripture above says that in everything, by prayer and supplication, with  thanksgiving, we should let our requests be made known to God. Once this  is done, the peace of God will guard our hearts in Christ. Notice that  this particular verse does not mention whether God answered our prayer  in the way we want or not!!!

It is not a matter of how God answers a prayer,  it is a matter of trusting that whatever answer he gives us, it is the  best thing for us. Therefore, thanksgiving is in order.

It is also a matter  of being thankful for what He has already done for us and given to us.  He gave us his son at the cross, as if that were not enough, he continues  to give to us. He gives us comfort. He gives us the ability to work and  produce and income. He guides and protects us, even if it does not feel  like it. He heals us. And he will give us an eternal habitation without  pain and filled with unthinkable joy and peace!!!

I strive to always start  my prayers with the words "Thank You." This helps me focus on  the things that He has done for me. Additionally, when making requests  of Him, it helps me keep in mind that God will answer my prayer, and whatever  his answer may be, it will be in my best interests, because that is the  kind of God we serve, one that keeps our best interests in mind. It does  take faith to thank Him for something that He has yet to do, but that is  part of the beauty of trust. And thanking Him for the things He has yet  to do can help you develop a much deeper trust in Him, reliance on Him,  and deeper sense of peace.

How often do you thank God for the things that  you have? How often do you give these things for granted, complain to God  for the things that you do not have? How often do you give thanks for the  things that you DO NOT have (such a disease)?

Think about you habit  of thanksgiving until next time, when we will continue this series on How  to Be Happy!!!

Lets Grow Together!!!