In Pursuit of Happiness in 2022?
When are you NOT? You’ll be surprised where you’ll find your ULTIMATE happiness!
Chances are you’ve tried everything to gain happiness: Friends, adventurous vacations, shoes, clothes, and even vices such as alcohol.
Whereas there’s enjoyment from those things, if you’re honest with yourself, there’s still something missing.
In your quest to find fulfillment, you discover the things you pursue leave you as empty as you were before. Friends ditch and disappoint us.
Oftentimes, vacations were better the way we envisioned them beforehand than the actual trip.
And alcohol? Well, that’s great until you’ve had too much.
It’s 2022, and I’m going to challenge you to try something new.
God has a plan for your life, and He’d like to show it to you. Digging into His Word, The Holy Bible, is how you can find out what your purpose in life is —
and there is nothing that compares to the satisfaction you feel when you find out how valuable your life is in this world.
How do you start?
First, find a Bible. Most everyone has access to one either in book form or online. I recommend using either the New International Version or the one I use, the English Standard Version.
Next, flip to the book of Psalms right in the middle of the Bible. If you opened to the book of Proverbs, just hang a left. It’s the book before that.
And even if you’ve never prayed or read the Bible before, humor me and ask God to reveal Himself to you before reading.
Some people have said to me, “I tried doing that. Nothing happened, so I gave up.”
They probably read a verse or chapter and looked for immediate changes with the wrong attitude. The way they thought changes would come didn’t happen, so they decided that none of this God stuff was true — never to pursue God again.
What amazing life, peace, and joy are forfeited when we only give God ten minutes of our time and, based on that, decide to give up!
In the minds of those who give up so easily are thoughts such as:
- See? I told you He isn’t real!
- I KNEW nothing would happen.
- This is no different from other things I’ve tried — nothing works.
- I’ve done too many bad things — He’s probably mad at me.
And they close their minds to the whole idea of ever connecting with God.
Here’s the key to meeting and relating to God
Be open to how God shows up.
The last step is only the beginning of a completely changed life. Say YES to Him and watch what happens!
- Yes — God, I’ve messed up and need the peace that comes from forgiveness from You.
- Yes, Jesus came to this world, was crucified, and rose again to save the lost — and, truth be told, I am lost.
- Yes, I want YOU in my life to guide me toward my purpose and to live the life I’m meant to live.
- YES — I want that JOY in my life that I’m missing!!
What if, instead of giving up, that same person from the above example paid attention to what happened that day and the following week (pursuing God)?
They may find themselves, instead, saying things like:
- Wow! I never get an appointment at the doctor so quickly…
- Hmmm… There’s a parking space at the front — there’s never a spot that close to the door.
- My anxiety seems to be better this week!
- I’ve never had this kind of peace before!
- Self-harming thoughts aren’t plaguing me anymore!
- That’s the most peaceful sleep I’ve had in a long time…
So, let me ask you. Are you going to have another year chasing things that don’t satisfy the God-shaped hole inside of you? Or will you surrender to God and let Him take you on the best adventures of your life?
This is a life that gives you more than happiness. It brings true joy. Life will throw bad things at you, but now you will have God’s power in your life to overcome and not lose your sanity!
To jump in on an ongoing study in Psalm Chapter 119, visit my RealWithGod FB page. For more information, you can download study docs on realwithgod.com.
