Joy is Your Natural State

It is very true that people are always looking for more joy in their lives. Millions of dollars are made on books and programs that show people how they can be happier and more joyful. In fact, we have our greatest desires not so we can feel more accomplished or successful. We have our greatest desires because we believe they will bring us greater joy and a more rewarding life experience.

The problem with this is that we are searching in all of the wrong places for our joy. I’m not saying it’s wrong to read books or do things that we believe will make us happier. Nor am I saying we shouldn’t have the dreams and desires that we do. What I am saying is that we don’t have to go looking on the outside for the joy we are so desperately craving. Instead, we need to realize that joy is at the essence of our being. It is one of the fruits of the spirit that we are all part of. Joy is not something we need to go out and find. If we can spend enough time to meditate on who we really are, and realize that love, joy, peace and the other fruits of the spirit are our true, intended states of being, then we won’t have to seek joy. It will automatically manifest because, again, joy is our natural state. Sadness, anger, and negative emotions are NOT natural. They are only emotional states that we bring upon ourselves.

I understand that things happen in our lives that make it difficult to experience joy. People or experiences hurt us, or we lose people in our lives because of disagreement, break-up, or death. I’m not at all saying that we shouldn’t feel sad in those circumstances or angry at an injustice. At the same time, I am saying that we shouldn’t let any circumstance determine the level of joy we experience in our lives.

The question that may be asked now is, “how do I allow this joy that is my natural state to manifest in my world?” There are several ways you can do this. These work for me, so I share them with you. First, as I mentioned earlier, take breaks throughout the day in meditation, reflection, prayer, or whatever you want to call it. Reflect upon the fact that the spirit of God lives in you. It is part of your essence. Remember again that joy is one of the fruits of that spirit. The Bible also says that when you seek that spirit first, above all else, you receive all else (all else shall be added onto you)! That includes joy.

Another helpful hint is to actually do things that make you feel joyful. Whenever you can find time during the day, do something that makes you happy. Listen to your favorite music. Take a nature walk. Play a game. Talk to a friend. Anything you can do that will increase your level of joy.

It is also said that emotions follow the action. That’s why I always recommend smiling as much as possible. When you carry a smile on your face, it automatically brings more joy. This never fails!! Even when I’ve been in the worst of moods, and I’m forcing the fake smile on my face, it always gets me out of the funk, and the smile becomes real, and the level of joy increases. Sticking with this theme, it’s also true that the more you focus on joy, the more reasons in life you will be given to be joyful.

Once again I will say it. Joy is your natural state. You don’t have to seek it anywhere else but inside of you. Make it a point to focus on the joy that is a part of you, and you will experience it.

It was certainly a joy to write this. I hope it is equally joyful for you to read it. Have an excellent day 🙂

A Sick Reminder of Who I Really Am

I have been a practicing Christian for over 30 years. I have also been a student of the Law of Attraction (which I believe works hand in hand with Christianity) for the past ten. Even with those long time frames, I still receive reminders that I am not applying the power of each in my life as much as I could. Here is a recent example…

Over the past weekend, I was battling a sickness, a mini flu bug. On Sunday, it was a major project just to get off the couch or out of bed. I didn’t eat much, so I was further weakened because of that. I missed a fun family gathering, but passed the day watching a Nascar race, and just enjoying a peaceful day.

Monday would be my first day back to work after a week vacation. We are discouraged from taking the first day off after a vacation, so since we were experiencing a windstorm in the Buffalo area of almost hurricane force all day and night (an unusual event in our city) I thought maybe the school I work at would close and I would get another day to recover. I actually found out Sunday night that the wish was granted, and an immediate peace came over me as I would indeed get another day to recover without having to call in.

The problem was that when I woke up early Monday morning, I felt just as bad if not worse than I felt the day before. It was then where I realized that a lot of this sickness had to do with my thinking. Sure, I know sometimes God allows us to become sick for reasons only known to Him. And I thought maybe this was one of those times. However, as I lay there, I still decided to get my mind thinking correctly and aligning it to who I really am. You see, who I really am (and who you really are) is a being that shares the spirit of God. The kingdom of heaven is in our midst, which after looking up a true definition of midst, I learned that it means our essence or very being. Another Bible verse says in HIm we live and move and have our being.

I was reminded that the Spirit that I am a part of is perfect and whole. It is never sick, and in fact does not even know sickness. At that moment, I said a prayer asking that I would be led to keep my mind focused completely on who I really am. As I lay in bed and did this, an almost immediate peace took over. I fell asleep for about two hours. When I woke up, I felt wonderful! Sure, I was still stuffy and coughing and had some lingering effects of the sickness. However, I easily got out of bed, made some breakfast, and did my morning routine as if it was a Saturday (even though it was a Monday). I took the day slow, but felt better and better throughout.

Did I heal myself? No, God did. However, I am willing to take some credit for the time frame in which it happened, and I thank God for answering my prayer. I prayed that I would keep my mind focused on who I really am instead of focusing on the sickness. Remember, a key idea of the Law of Attraction is that the thoughts and ideas you focus on are the outcomes that manifest in your life. As that prayer was answered, and I kept my mind focused correctly, I believe the healing happened faster than it would have otherwise.

I thank God for this excellent reminder, and I share it willingly with anyone patient enough to have read this far. Remember who you really are and who you really belong to. God is with you in every moment, and you are with Him every moment. And when you keep your mind focused on this truth and the truth of whatever it is you are looking to get through or accomplish, you are much more likely to see it come into being. Enjoy that blessing 🙂