The Secret To Staying Positive And Joyful As A Christian

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." - Philippians 4:6-7

Why is it that some people are happy even when they're struggling, and others are sad even when they have everything? 

What is it that makes them different? What is the secret to staying positive and finding joy as a Christian, despite the struggles and suffering? 

Finding Peace in God

It's easy to say that putting our trust in God will solve all our problems, but I know it's hard to practice. Because, in all honesty, the secret to finding peace and happiness as a Christian is rooted in our relationship with God (Roste, 2019).

This means… assuming God will take care of everything isn't the answer. The answer is in our absolute faith and obedience to Christ.

Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us: "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." 

Happiness is Fleeting

While happiness is a fleeting emotion that depends on hundreds of external factors, faith in God is unshakeable and everlasting. And it's through this process of surrendering our worries and burdens to God that we can experience a peace that surpasses all understanding.

That kind of peace just doesn't come from material objects… sure, retail therapy or our favorite dessert might numb the pain for a little while, but it's hardly a long-term solution. 

As we learn in John 2:16-17, "For everything that is in the world—the desire for fleshly gratification, the desire for possessions, and worldly arrogance—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world and its desires are fading away, but the person who does God's will remains forever."

That means craving material possessions, money, or status will not bring happiness because it was never the Lord's intention for humans to possess. 

This point is driven home in Proverbs 27:20: "Just as Death and Destruction are never satisfied, so human desire is never satisfied."

External things are temporary… but faith is forever. 

This is why, instead of allowing our circumstances to dictate how we feel, we must surrender to God and make Him the only influence our minds listen to. 

This presents the question...

Why Do We Struggle With Surrendering?

To fully experience the peace and happiness that comes from God, we must surrender every aspect of our lives to Him. But… that is easier said than done. 

Many Christians struggle with surrendering their lives fully to God because it's not always an easy decision to make. It means letting go of our desires and plans and submitting to His authority entirely. So… how can we start? 

Where Can We Start?

Before we unlock the secret to how to stay positive and joyful as a Christian, we have to understand why we have this mental block. 

If you are currently struggling with staying joyful and positive as a Christian, let's first consider the relationship between our spirit and mind. The spirit can sense God's presence and align with His will, but the mind, well... it has a mind of its own. This can be a good or a bad thing, depending on whether we are a negative or positive person. 

Negative thinking leads to fear & anxious thinking, preventing us from being present with God and those around us. (Star, 2020)

And the root cause of struggling to surrender to God is a lack of belief in His Word. If we don't believe He can guide us, we will never be able to submit fully. It's as simple as not being able to trust someone we've met for the first time. 

So let me put your mind at ease by telling you 2 things… 

1) Understand "How" to surrender to God 

Remember the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32? If not, read it!

This story is an illustration of surrendering to God. The son abandons his old life and returns to his Father, hoping to become a servant. His surrender is met with unexpected rewards, and he is welcomed with open arms and love and given a new life.

Surrendering to God doesn't mean living a life devoid of fun, pleasure, and happiness. The son received the happiness and peace he wanted, and God didn't judge him for leaving the designed path or for running back when he needed help.  

Following the path of surrender takes recognizing our current condition and the humility to think differently. This is the first step in unlocking the secret to staying positive and joyful as a Christian!

This may seem like a BIG TASK at first, so I want to encourage you to...

2) Start Small

The second step in staying positive and joyful as a Christian is… start small. Start by being content with what God has given. 

Living a life of contentment is key to experiencing peace and happiness as a Christian. This means being satisfied with what we have and trusting that God will provide for all our needs. 

Think about Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, and where He started.

• He started in a small village, Bethlehem.

• He started as a carpenter.

• He started by ministering to one person (Andrew), and that turned into 12 disciples.

• He was content to love God & love people with "no place to lay his head" (Matt. 8:20).

• He started SMALL.

What was the result of starting small? He changed the world.

When we learn to be content with what we have been given, we'll be less likely to be anxious or worried about the future. When we take stock of what God has given us, we will feel more trusting and comfortable surrendering to him. 

Our Next Step 

As Christians, we're not immune to life's challenges and difficulties... and neither was Jesus.

However, we can find comfort and peace knowing that God is with us and will guide us through even the toughest times. 

The secret to staying joyful and positive as a Christian starts with surrender and taking the small step in living content with what God has given us… which leads to peace & happiness. 

This act of trust is the epitome of putting our faith in God, who can lead us on our journey towards a joyful and positive life, which results in a life of happiness and peace.

Break Free From Negative Thinking

Negative thinking can cause us to stay stuck in the chronic stress response because it reinforces the neural pathways that are associated with stress and negative emotions.

The more we think negatively, the more we strengthen these pathways and make it harder to switch to more positive and adaptive ones. Negative thinking can also impair our ability to learn from new experiences and form new memories, which are essential for neuroplasticity (Bennett, 2020).

Every journey starts with a small step, so take the step to book a free strategy call and discuss what's next for you: CLICK HERE > https://go.oncehub.com/LSRStrategyCall

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Bennett, J. (2020, October 8). Neuroplasticity and emotional healing for chronic illness. Center for Collaborative Medicine. https://www.ccfmed.com/blog/neuroplasticity-emotional-healing-chronic-illness

Roste, R. (2019, April 18). How to find peace God’s way. Faith Strong Today. https://faithstrongtoday.com/robynroste/how-to-find-peace-gods-way

Star, K. (2020, October 11). How negative thinking patterns affect anxiety. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/negative-thinking-patterns-and-beliefs-2584084