Living Life With Joy

For some, living life with joy may seem easier said than done. It was a struggle for me for a whole lot of years to really figure out how to consistently and truly do it. Therefore, I must first give credit to God for directing me through his word in the bible. For nothing is possible without God and all things are possible with God. Then I must give credit to God for his direction to those who could further help me. Therefore, I now give credit to Oprah's life class and books of Deepak Chopra. All have opened my eyes and my mind to this path, this way of thinking, this way of living. This way of living each day with joy and gratitude.

During my life I have had many ups and downs, including caring for dying close loved ones, deaths of close loved ones, many questions as to why certain things happened, worries about people or how things would get done, or how bills would get paid. However, now I truly know how to live with joy everyday regardless of circumstances.

First I had to recognize and really acknowledge that God is the supreme source of my existence and being. I had to recognize that He and only He holds the master plan for my life. I had to also come to the actual realization that the things that happen or do not happen in my life are all a part of the journey to get me to where He wants me to be and to what He wants to give me and what He wants me to do. I had to learn to yield to him, submit and surrender myself to him totally and trust that all things are possible with him and no problem is unsolvable for him.

Now this doesn't mean that I am perfect now, or that I do everything right and I have no faults, no obstacles or no problems. It just means that I have given God the full control that He already had but I just did not fully acknowledge. It means that I have learned to fully trust and believe that He will take care of everything and direct my thoughts and actions. Meaning, I just had to let go and let Him do His work.

I also had to learn to trust Him, wait on Him and learn how to listen to His quite commands and voice. Reading God's word, prayer and quite meditation helped me with this. There is just something uplifting, inspiring and empowering for me when I read various scriptures in my bible. Prayer I learned about early in life and have always done. However, I was enlightened and educated on the concept of true meditation, becoming one with God and realizing the God-the divinity in me through the writings of Deepak Chopra.

Another thing that helped me was to focus on only positive things and blessings I had received (no matter how small). At every opportunity when faced with something negative or frustrating I try to find something positive in it and only focus on that part. Not only do I focus on present blessings but also blessings I expect and will receive. I had to also understand and accept that God wanted to bless me and would bless me.

The next biggest thing I do is not only focus on the positive things but also give thanks for them. Oprah talked a lot about gratitude and a gratitude journal and more over, Ephesians 5:20 talks about "giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus". I took note and started doing it. I began to express my gratitude and to give thanks daily-morning, noon and night (and sometimes all in between).

Along with giving thanks, just as an icing on the cake, I strived each day to make someone's day in some way whether by word or deed, perhaps even in the form of a sincere compliment. I found that this always seems to bring about instant joy. Deepak Chopra talked about giving to receive in any means even through praying for and wishing silent blessings for someone. Giving doesn't have to be monetary or even tangible in any manner. Plus, no one has to know of the gift but one's self and God.

Therefore, my steps for living with joy are to:
1. Recognize and acknowledge God as the source of my existence and being, the holder of the master plan, the one who through all things are possible

2. Pray, meditate and read God's word continue to trust God, calm my inner spirit, become one with Him and see the divinity in me

3. Focus on positive things, blessings, and at every opportunity see as many positives as I can in any negative

4. Recognize my blessings and Give thanks for everything, no matter how big or how small

5. Strive to make someone's day in some manner whether by word or by deed, give in some manner even if it's a silent prayer for a blessing for someone

Although some days require more prayer and meditation than others or some struggling to find the positive in a negative, I am managing to live each day with joy.

I pray that in some way someone will be helped by this, feel encouraged and
and begin to live each day with joy.

yjthom