Did you know that some form of the word “joy” is used over 210 times in the Bible? From my career of coaching successful leaders that includes extensive research, it has become clear that God wants you to experience rich, meaningful joy today and throughout your life.
Choosing Joy
The best place to find joy is in God’s love and promises.
As part of your free will, you have the choice today to pick a joy-producing thought or a junk-producing thought. Your emotions, whether resentment or joy, reveal what you have been dwelling on in your mind. I like to think of this as part of God’s built-in quality control device.
Joyful people have an advantage. They cope more effectively with stress, tend to be healthier, and have a resiliency that gets them through tough times. Understanding that bad times will happen, joyful people have an uncanny ability to respond to situations with a “can do” attitude that helps them overcome the challenges to press on toward their goals.
Justin Constantine is a one example to consider. You can read about his story on www.JustinConstantine.com. After suffering a devastating injury while serving in the US military in Iraq, Justin determined to be a joyful person, overcoming the many obstacles that could have allowed such circumstances to devastate his life. He’s now an entrepreneur and inspirational speaker who seeks to share the advantage of joy with others.
If you are feeling rotten or stressed, you know you have been dwelling on frustrations, disappointments, loss, and the like. If you feel energized and joyful, you know that you have been dwelling on progress, achievements, blessings and other positive mental nutrition. Your emotions serve you by allowing you to feel what you’ve been dwelling on, so prepare and equip yourself with the feedback you need to make adjustments in where you are steering your thought life.
Remember, the intent of the 4:8 Principle is not perfection, but the continuous improvement of your thinking. And each upgrade sets the stage for tapping into the many advantages of joy.
