Relax

Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:51-58 ESV). Duke University did a study on “peace of mind.” Factors found to contribute greatly to emotional and mental stability are: 1. The absence of suspicion and resentment. They found that those who hold a grudge or harbor bitterness against someone were typically more unhappy than those who had learned to forgive and move on in their lives. 2. Not living in the past. An unwholesome preoccupation with old mistakes and failures leads to depression. As you have read from me in the past, we should never let past failures rob us of our present joy. It is a conscious choice we ought to make each day of our lives. 3. Not wasting time and energy fighting conditions you cannot change. Cooperate with life, instead of trying to run away from it. There will always be those things in life that simply cannot be changed. Recognize them and rest in His hands to make it through them. 4. Force yourself to stay involved with the living world. Resist the temptation to withdraw and become reclusive during periods of emotional stress. “David’s caves” are a temptation to us all during times of stress. However, happiness comes from being connected with others. 5. Refuse to indulge in self-pity when life hands you a raw deal. Accept the fact that nobody gets through life without some sorrow and misfortune. Bad things do happen to good people. God’s promise to all of us is to make good come from every experience of our life as we love and trust Him. 6. Cultivate the old-fashioned virtues of love, humor, compassion and loyalty. It is especially important to work on the second of these. Someone has said that humor is the “air-conditioning of the soul.” Turn down the thermostat and cool off with daily doses of appropriate humor. 7. Do not expect too much of yourself. When there is too wide a gap between self-expectation and your ability to meet the goals you have set, feelings of inadequacy are inevitable. Perfectionism is a killer of happiness. 8. Find something bigger than yourself to believe in. Self-centered egotistical people score lowest in any test for measuring happiness. Charles Wesley wrote many wonderful verses. The following is especially good in light of this morning’s thought: I rest beneath the Almighty’s shade, My griefs expire, my troubles cease; Thou, Lord, on whom my soul is stayed, Wilt keep me still in perfect peace.