I have been having God-talks [prayer dialogues with God] concerning success and happiness. I am going to share some bullet points of truth I discovered through these times of prayer and meditation.
Discovery #1- Success and happiness are not synonyms!
Discovery #2 – Success doesn’t guarantee happiness, but happiness does create pathways to success.
Success is best achieved through the courageous pursuit of happiness, rather than striving for success hoping to discover happiness and fulfillment.
Discovery #3 - Fame is fleeting, yet joy is everlasting.
Everlasting joy never runs out, it is a continual flow. Fix your eyes on Jesus. Set His joy before you and pursue life with passionate purpose. “May your joy be full” ( John 15:11).
Discovery #4 - God wants us to enjoy life.
God wants us to go, do and enjoy! He desires for us to take pleasure in living and benefit from His goodness. He has plans to prosper you. He has a hope and a future secured and specifically designed just for you. (Jeremiah 29:11) Trust. Believe. Follow Him...
Discovery #5 – A life beyond, thought, expectation or measure.
Jesus promised an abundant life. In John 10:9, Jesus proclaimed "I am the door" beckoning us to follow Him. In verse 10, Christ promises an abundant life. It is a promise of freedom, assurance and an eternal destiny found only through Jesus.
An abundant living is a life greater than imagination. It is being assured and secured, bold and confident knowing you can't lose. Jesus has your back and your front, He envelopes you in love and protection. You are safe, stable and free from doubt. You are a child of God, what more could you desire?
Discovery #6 -Through Christ we find pasture.
Referring back to John 10:9 those who follow Christ have freedom. "He will come in and he will go out freely, and will find pasture." I love the idea of finding pasture - A place to rest and be sustained, to flourish and become nourished, to lie down without fear, and where creativity blooms and grows. When we find pasture we discover nourishment for the soul. We become our best selves.
Discovery #7- Joy and gladness in full measure, complete and overflowing.
All the true needs of humanity are satisfied in Jesus. "I have told you these things, that My joy and gladness may be in you, and that your joy and gladness may be of full measure and complete and overflowing" (John 15:11).
Discovery #8 - Joy is consistent and is cultivated from within.
Joy is the driving force residing at the core of your uniqueness. It is the bedrock within you. Joy fights against sorrow and defeats doubt. Boldness is birthed from joy because there is no fear of failure. The purpose of joy goes beyond self-satisfaction. Joy urges us to be committed and connected, living life for the greater good.
Discovery #9 - Joy is resilient.
Nothing can steal your joy. Those who have lost or surrendered their hope and purpose still have joy within them. They just no longer recognize it. Bent and weighed down by suffering, pain becomes a shroud. Pain is real and refuses to be ignored. But, Joy is stronger! Joy is relentless. Joy rebounds, emits beauty and rises up.
Discovery #10 - Narrow is the road that leads to life, only few find it.
Choose wisely the path before you.
Although the road to wealth, power and fame is well traveled, it is often paved with harmful and self-destructing desires. Instead of becoming successful, it leads to ruin. Along the broad road lie wasteful wanderings, traps of temptation, land mines of immorality, sink holes of selfishness, relentless competition to get ahead, all lending to despairing days, and lonely exhausted nights. By the way, this road is always under construction and in need of repair. I would rather invest my devotion, time and energy traveling down the pathway that leads to contentment, happiness and a life worth living, wouldn't you? “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life?” Matthew 16:26
Discovery #11 - God makes our efforts successful.
We make plans, but it is God who directs our steps. Sometimes, He is our guide leading the way, and in others, He walks by our side. When we are weary He carries us and when we are immovable He nudges us forward. In my case, there have been times when He has given me a firm, but loving push forward and countless times of "would you please Be Still!"
May we find hope, joy, and satisfaction in the Lord. As we delight in God's presence, may our loving Father grant our hearts desires and "may the Lord our God show us his approval and make our efforts successful" (Psalm 90:17). Lord God, may your gladness and joy overtake us as we journey through life. Amen.
My final thoughts...
“Surely, goodness and mercy and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell forever, throughout all my days, in the house and in the presences of the Lord” (Psalm 23:6 AMP).
I recently had a conversation with a friend regarding the passing away of this life. We touched briefly on the topic of bucket lists. I have spent most of my life busy with a list of things to do. As I approach the last leg of my journey on this side of life, I would rather count my blessings, than try to complete a bucket list. Now, please don’t misunderstand me. If opportunity and time allow, there are many things I would like to do, see and experience. After all, life is a grand adventure. However, I am not compelled or driven to fulfill them, nor will I feel a lack of accomplishment if I don’t succeed before I pass over to eternity. Instead, I prefer to live and capture the moment, to be content in the simple things and enjoy putting myself totally and sincerely into each day given me. Moments, after all, are precious and they add up to lifetimes. Life is full of breaths of wonders, gasps of beauty, calming caresses, tugs of awe and alluring sounds. If I am crossing things off a list, I might miss out on something rare in the here and now.
“This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).
If we endure life’s hardships, trials and inconveniences, “if we bear all of this with patience, kindness and love, we will be brimming with joy” (Francis Assisi). Joy is a state of happiness, a continual glad feeling, a great and exceptional delight. If you have joy, you have achieved the greatest reward life has to offer.
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