How to Make Joy a Daily Habit
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)
We are being encouraged to push on despite what is happening around us. We are told that it is in pushing on that we can create our next happy moment. But the truth is, the more we push, the more we become depressed. Chasing happiness is a recipe for disaster.
We need to learn how to make joy a daily habit. Why? God wants us to be joyful. Not that being happy is a bad thing, but when we have joy, we have internal satisfaction. It means that you can remain positive in the midst of a storm.
It is impossible for one to be happy when they are going through trials. External circumstances will not allow you to as they will keep changing. But it is possible to have joy.
So how do we combat stress with joy daily?
Choose What to Believe
Stress is readily available in today’s world. Watch television, read the news or turn on the radio and you will see or hear one bad report after another. It is easy to feel stressed.
That is why we need to be intentional about making joy our daily habit. And we can do that by choosing what to believe.
See, your circumstance doesn’t determine whether you will walk with joy or be stressed. It is your thoughts about the circumstance that will make your situation stressful. If you think being in a crowded place will stress you, you are going to be stressed. Being around many people isn’t bad, but the thought of it makes the whole experience stressful.
Paul rejoiced even though he was in jail (Philippians 4:4-8). He encouraged others to rejoice while he was in prison. I don’t think we would say the same thing if we were in his shoes. But Paul saw being in jail as an opportunity to live for Christ, so he wasn’t stressed about it but rejoiced.
Abide in Christ
Every single day, make it a habit to abide in Christ.
Abiding means to continue.
We should make it a point to continue being in close union with Jesus. Not only when it best suits us but even when we don’t feel like it.
When we abide in Christ, he promises to make our joy complete. (John 15:10-11)
Serve Others
Serving others does not mean that you have to become a pastor evangelist or work in a church. You can serve others through your social media platforms by just writing words of encouragement to your friends and followers.
When we serve others daily, we become joyful. Seeing others overcome the issues they are facing because we stood by them fills us with joy. A small act of kindness goes a long way.
Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.
It is not dependent on outside circumstances.
We can be joyful even when all odds are against us. But for that to happen, we need to make joy a daily habit by serving others, abiding in Christ, and most of all, choosing our thoughts carefully.