Grow Your Joy

 

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4–9 ESV).

 

Growing in joy means intentionally nurturing a deep, inner happiness through gratitude, mindfulness, positive connections, and focusing on simple pleasures, even amidst challenges, transforming your perspective from lack to abundance and letting joy become your strength and motivation, not just a fleeting feeling. It's an active process of cultivating a positive outlook by appreciating the good, practicing thankfulness, seeking new experiences, helping others, and staying present. Let me share with you some practical ways to grow in joy.

 

§  Practice Gratitude: Keep a joy or gratitude journal, noting blessings to shift focus from problems to solve to goodness to experience. Everything that comes into our lives along our journey has been sifted through the hands of our Heavenly Father and will produce good in our lives (cf. Romans 8:28).

 

§  Be Present & Mindful: Appreciate simple things, be curious, explore new places, and engage in activities like laughter, play, and creativity. Sometimes we are too serious for our own good. You do know that none of us will get out of this alive! Seriously, learn how to laugh again. Go ahead, dance as if no one is watching!

 

§  Connect Positively: Surround yourself with joyful people, invest in others, and serve those in need. Find those people in your community of faith that you know will always be honest and positive. These are people who will correctly balance truth-telling with grace-giving.

 

§  Manage Your Mindset: Limit negativity, approach challenges redemptively, and consciously choose to not let past hurts define you. Remember that there is no decision a child of God makes that is eternal. God controls and determines that! We are not what we do.

 

§  Nurture Your Spirit: Connect with your spiritual side through prayer, worship, or scripture, finding strength in faith. Be intentional about the health of your spiritual being. Read and ponder the words of Scripture.

 

§  Care for Your Body: Regular physical activity and giving yourself moments of pleasure contribute to overall well-being. Of course, aging brings with it challenges to our physical well-being; however, regardless of age, we can be our best possible for our physical circumstance.

 

This is how we may grow our joy!