“Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength..” -Nehemiah 8:10

The other day I was on a walk with an older friend and mentor. We got on the subject of money. He makes a pretty descent salary, but lives off very little of it. I was asking him for some wisdom when it comes to the area of finances and all he said was, “Just because you have a lot of money doesn’t mean you need to spend it all and have all these amazing things, there are a lot of different ways to enjoy life.“

That statement spoke to me. As a twenty something who just got engaged, the idea of making money became a lot more important to me than it has ever been, we’re saving for a house, we are saving to pay for a wedding, and saving for the honeymoon! I started become so focused on what I needed to do to provide, make something of myself, and get promoted, all which are great things, but I in that pursuit, I lost some of my joy. I became so focused on that, that I wasn’t able to enjoy life.

The truth is, you can enjoy life in a lot of different ways, many of them having nothing to do with money. Spending time with loved ones and friends is often where our greatest memories are formed which are often our greatest sources of joy.

I’m not saying money isn’t important, it definitely is, and I believe that God wants us all blessed financially.

However, being blessed financially does not guarantee that you will enjoy your life. In fact, anything your pursuing outside of God does not guarantee that you’ll enjoy life. The truth is, when you’re pursuing God, you can enjoy life regardless of what you have or where you are at this stage in your life.

Are you enjoying your life right now? If not, why? What are you so focused on that is taking your joy away? God wants us to enjoy life in every season, regardless of our current circumstances!

Focus on everything God’s blessed you with, enjoy the little things, enjoy the people around you that you love the most. Stop pursuing what you think will help you enjoy life and start enjoying the life you’re already blessed with!

¹¹ “Is God’s comfort too little for you? Is his gentle word not enough? ¹² What has taken away your reason? What has weakened your vision,¹³ that you turn against God and say all these evil things?           -Job 15:11-13

Do you ever have circumstances come into your life where it feels like even God won’t be able to get you through it? Maybe you’ve been a Christian for a while, and you know what God’s Word says about your situation, but your heart has become hardened.

I read those verses in Job and was blown away! “Is God’s comfort to little for you? Is His gentle Word not enough? What’s taken away your reason? What has weakened your vision to the point where you’re questioning God’s ability to get you through?

Toward the end of the book of Job, God asks him, “Where were you when I created the universe? The Heavens? The earth?”It was this question that finally got Job back on track, back to believing in the goodness of God.

I think sometimes we forget who it is we serve. I know I do. We serve the creator of the universe. Anytime we get our eyes on anything other than the greatness of God, our reason will be taken away and our vision will weaken.

God is always enough.

We just have to make a concious to decision to trust Him with everything in us and not lean to our own understanding. If you find your reasoning being taken away and your vision weakening, you’re not trusting God.

Spend some time in worship and prayer. Thank God for all the good things He’s done in your life. As you press into Him, the hardness in your heart will fade, and God will lift you from your current situation.

Thoughts?

“This too, I see, is from the hand of God, ²⁵ for without Him, who can eat or find enjoyment? ²⁶ To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness“ -Ecclesiastes 2:24-26

I was listening to Joyce Meyer the other day, and she said something that hit me deep!

She said,”A few months ago I was in India and spoke at a Crusade in front of a crowd of 250,000 people. It just so happened that the day I spoke, was also my birthday. So the 250,000 people ended up singing happy birthday to me, which was pretty cool. Then two weeks later I was back to normal life, shopping in Target by myself. . . ”

She continued, “You know what was awesome? I’ve grown to the point in my relationship with God, where I had just as much joy shopping by myself at Target, as I did speaking to 250,000 people and having them sing to me.” I don’t know about you, but I want to get there!

We all have to live this thing called life. We all have to grocery shop, take out the trash, and pay the bills. But when we live our lives for God, everything in life suddenly becomes beautiful. You enjoy life at an entirely new level.

Happiness, joy, and experiencing God are all choices. Choose to pursue Him and see Him in everything, and you’ll find yourself enjoying every area of life more than you ever have before!

Thoughts?