Joy, what is it? According to the web, joy is defined as a feeling of great pleasure and happiness. Many people confuse joy with accumulating material things such as wealth, houses and cars. The majority of people today lack joy in their lives for so many reasons. For some, it’s just simply things that are happening around the world.
News has an unpleasant influence on one’s life. However, if you’re not careful and aren’t alert to how you feel. You could spend your whole day in sadness and not even know why you’re sad in the first place.
There are many different reasons why some people are not joyful, such as: Financial problems, relationship problems, health problems, and so much more…
Having joy in your life is all about learning how to control your emotions. Yes, we are all emotional creatures, and the majority of the time, we allow our emotions to control us instead of us taking control over our emotions.
Emotions come and go, for example, say something bad happens to you at work that puts you into a negative state. Negative thoughts are going to come at you all day because of what happened to you at work. It’s like magnets; negative states are attracted to negative thoughts.
Therefore, we should take control over how we think and what enters our minds. 2 Corinthians 10:5 If you don’t control what’s entering your mind, then you will forever be bombarded with negative thoughts that will lead you to be a negative person. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.”
There is such joy and peace in knowing Christ. Christ gives the ultimate joy and peace that everyone is craving. Everything that human beings are looking for in life is found in Christ.
If you’re missing joy in your life, He’s the joy giver; and if you’re craving peace in your life, Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Jesus said, “to cast our cares on Him because he cares for us.” Matthew 11:28-30
Material things won’t fill the void; true joy is not found in accumulating things, such as relationships, and having enough money. Why? Because those things don’t last forever. You can have a lot of things and not be able to enjoy them because of your health.
You can also be a billionaire and be very miserable in life. All these things are temporary. Nothing is wrong with wanting to be a billionaire or wanting things in life, but what are your motives behind wanting these things? Are you looking for fame? Or Status? True joy is found in Christ and Christ alone, not in material things.
9 Practical Ways to Practice and Bring More Joy into Your Life.
1. Be financially literate: Read books and gain knowledge on how to become financially free. Knowledge is power; the more you learn, the more knowledge you will attain. The power is now in your hands to apply it and make it work for you.
2. Eat a well-balanced meal and exercise: Eating healthy and exercising regularly are great for your overall well-being.
3. Surround yourself with people who are optimistic in life. Be around people who will enlighten your day and want to invest their time in you.
4. Being optimistic and positive will help create a joyful life. Positive thinking will get you positive outcomes. Our lives are shaped by our thoughts.
5. Live a stress-free life, accept the things you can’t change in life. And change the things you can. The world is already filled with lots of problems, make the best out of the life that God has given you.
6. Make yourself joyful by doing the things you love. Whatever that may be. It could be listening to music, singing, cooking, dancing, exercising, going on a trip, etc…
7. Show gratitude in life and be grateful for the things you have.
8. Create your joy, don’t wait for anyone to make you happy. Create the person you want to become. You are responsible for your well-being and making yourself happy. Don’t allow anyone or anything to steal your joy, and learn to pick your battles.
9. Don’t allow worry and the cares of this world to rob you of your joy. Matthew 6:25-34 If you are a Child of God, have joy in the Lord, knowing that through Christ you’re saved and know one can ever take that away from you.