7 Secrets to a Happy Heart - Strategies to
cultivate true joy - (Part 3)
Annette LaPlaca
4. Say "thank you" before "please." When it comes to prayer,
don't jump directly into your list of wants and needs, no matter how pressing
those may seem. God loves to hear us appreciate him! Start by praying the way
Jesus taught his disciples in Matthew 6:9-13, by honoring God ("Hallowed be your
name"). Your praise will naturally include thankfulness for his faithful love,
the daily help of his Holy Spirit, and his provision for
you.
5. Remember the "Thanksgiving Special."
For years I assigned myself the annual Thanksgiving task of making a list of
"100 things to be thankful for." Why not compose a year 2000 list? I typically
find the first 20-30 easy to come up with, then get bogged down in the middle.
But all of a sudden I find myself remembering little things that have built my
trust and confidence in God. I always manage to come up with 100. Give it a
try.
6. Try a Scripture search. Remind yourself
of the importance of "rejoicing" by searching the Bible—both Old and New
Testaments—for God's instructions in this area. (Pollyanna says there are at
least 800 "happy texts" in the Bible. I'll have to take her word for it.) It
will spur you on to "consider what great things [God] has done for
you."
I love 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 because it
reminds me it's God's will that I be "joyful always" and "give thanks in all
circumstances." God wants me to have a happy heart as much as I long to be
joyful. It's not all up to me; God's there, waiting to give me
joy.
7. Just ask. When you struggle to obey God
in the area of giving thanks, don't hesitate to ask him to show you how. He's
longing to draw you close, to give you strength for the challenges of every day.
So ask for his help.
What begins as an awkward discipline of
thankfulness can end as a habit of happiness. Gratitude's been my secret weapon
for finding contentment and joy; put it to work in your life!
[Concluded]
[Annette LaPlaca, a TCW regular
contributor and freelance contributor to several magazines, lives with her
family in the Chicago area.]
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