Next, we have another one of my favorites, what Mrs Meyer calls The Happy Habit. She quotes Abraham Lincoln who said, “People are as happy as they make up their mind to be.” He is so wise and right! Joy is a choice. To be honest, I usually make a distinction between the words “happy” and “joy.” To me, “happy” seems to be dependent on our circumstances. If everything is going our way, we can be happy. But if it is not, we tend to get upset. While “joy” is based on God and our New Identity in Christ. This gets more and more steady as we mature in Christ, because this New Identity id founded on Christ Who never changes. The more we grow, the more we hold on to Him and the more we can choose to remain joyful, no matter what. Even when others hurt us, we can find joy in the fact that God loves us. Even when fear presents itself, we can find joy in the reality of our Eternal Destiny. Even when loneliness or confusion comes our way, we can find joy in God’s Truth that we are never alone because He will never leave us nor forsake us. Joy is stable because it is based on our Perfect God Who never changes. And like President Lincoln is saying, joy, or happiness, is a choice.
Mrs Meyer quotes another great verse from the Bible that makes it clear joy is a choice. Psalm 118:24 says, “This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Ps 118:24 ESV) Those words “let us,” speak about a choice we must make. She’s funny as she shares that she is not a morning person, so she must recite this verse first thing in the morning so that she may start out her day on the right foot. She says if we do not make this decision bright and early, we tend to allow negative thoughts into our minds which can set the wrong pace for the day.
Again, the point is Joy is a choice. We do not need to be held captive by others or the situations of life. More than just a happy feeling, joy is a secure, confident attitude that chooses to make the best of whatever is happening because we know that God is working all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called by His purpose! (never forget Ro 8:28) We can choose to be joyful because we can choose to trust God!
14 Good Habits
Behavior 1: The God Habit
Behavior 2: Thoughts, Words and Habits
Behavior 3: The Habit of Being Decisive
Behavior 4: Healthy Habits
Behavior 5: The Happy Habit
2023’s Got A Minute? Book Club
January: The First & Best Book Ever: The Bible
February: Love Is In the Air: “The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts” by Gary Chapman
March: Spring Growth: “Secrets of the Vine” by Bruce Wilkinson
April: Living the Resurrected Life: “The Wonderful Spirit Filled Life” by Dr Charles Stanley
May: My Spiritual Mom: “Making Good Habits Breaking Bad Habits” by Joyce Meyer
<>< Peace, Diane
