unlock more joy for your life

This is a year where I am being super-intentional about finding resources to help me access more and more of God's grace so that I can experience more and more of Jesus' joy. 

Secular researchers tell us that that a large part of our capacity for happiness in life is connected to how we are wired. Some of us are happy-go-lucky while others are melancholic. For example, the great 19th Century British pastor C. H. Spurgeon struggled mightily with depression. Some historians surmise that he was predisposed toward melancholy. 

The other aspects of our capacity for happiness come from 1) life's circumstances and 2) our skills, habits, and practices. We obviously can't control our circumstances or our DNA. Therefore, we must develop spiritual skills, habits, and practices that connect us with the Lord, who is our Source of joy. 

It's helpful to practice habits that impact how we think about our past, our future, and our present. 

3 keys to unlock more joy for your life

1. Make peace with your past. 

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). We must truly receive the forgiveness of God, handle regrets by forgiving ourselves (because God has!), and grant forgiveness to others. This will set us up to live with more gratitude and contentment. 

2. Have faith for your future. 

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). We don't know what the future holds, but we know who holds the future. So, we approach life with faith and optimism. 

3. Find Presence in your present. 

"If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things" (Romans 8:31-32)? God is present to bless. Therefore, we ought always to practice the Presence of God. In His Presence, there is fulness of joy. We live Coram Deo - before the face of God. That's where we find Power to walk and choose wisely. 

So, what might you do differently today to make peace with your past, to have faith for your future, to find Presence in your present?