It seems a lot of people walk around with frowns on their faces. They flit from one job to another, from relationship to another because they no longer make us happy. The problem is too often we look to others or things to make us happy. However, in most cases, we just need an attitude adjustment.
60% of those Christians who don’t attend
church regularly end up divorced
In Matthew 5, Jesus gives us a list to guide us to a more joyful life. They’ve become known as the Beatitudes. Let’s look at six of them and break them down a bit. We will finish the list next week.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. This means we should be humble and grateful. We need to realize that everything we have, including our talent, comes from God. The more grateful we are for what we have, the less we will feel a sense of loss over things we don’t have.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted. We should regret our sins. How many of us mourn, downright sob, for the pain we’ve caused God. Not many of us, but that’s what we should. And the more we love God, the more our hearts will fill with joy.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Be gentle, kind, and have self-control. Too often we look to things to make us happy. When they don’t work, we end up abusing alcohol, drugs, even our money by going into debt. And these “things” just make us even more unhappy.
The average debt on credit cards in
America is $5,700.00.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. We should want God to prevail in all things. That means following his word and doing our best to please Him. The more we give God control, the less stress we will have in our lives.
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The more you take responsibility for your attitudes, the more you can adjust yourself in a forward thinking manner.” – Deborah Day, Mental Health Clinician
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Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. If you want to be happy, love others. Also forgive those who have harmed you, whether physically or emotionally. The best way to find peace is to let your anger go, and you can’t do that without forgiveness.
Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God. Living an unselfish life leads to happiness. Imagine if we thought more of others, how different the world would be. Unfortunately, we are too focused on ourselves and what we lack, so we end up miserable.
A slight attitude adjustment can change your entire way of living. We will smile more and have less stress. We just have to realize the place to start is with the person in the mirror.
If you have been feeling down, don’t forget to come back next week for the rest of the beatitudes to learn how to live a more joyful life.
If you or someone you know is in need of prayer this week, please leave a comment. We’d be more than happy to pray for you. And if this post moved you in some way, please feel free to share it.
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