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!!