Mercy Leads To Happiness
Mercy Leads To Happiness | August 8, 2023
A common theme among people is that they just want to be happy. When you are happy, you tend to worry less and smile more. Being happy puts a bounce in your step and a twinkle in your eye. In addition, happiness produces a delightful and infectious attitude. Thus, the issue of happiness is not a matter of if you want it but, instead, how you can achieve it.
People think prosperity, possessions, popularity, and pleasure are the primary reasons for happiness. While an abundance of those areas can undoubtedly change your perspective and mood, they are short-term propositions at best. See, lasting and legitimate happiness comes from following God's instructions, mainly the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-11. In what is regarded as the first recorded teachings of Jesus, the Sermon on the Mount opens with Jesus explaining the pathway to blessing, which is synonymous with happiness. Most of these teachings seem counterintuitive because they go against the grain of our selfish thinking. Matthew 5:7 is a prime example when it says, "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy."
Notice again; "blessed" is interchangeable with the word "happy." Those who are blessed or happy show mercy to other people. The blessing is that God smiles on such people by increasing His compassion and kindness upon them. Therefore, whenever you hold your tongue when someone might deserve otherwise, you're making a decision that will lead to more happiness. The same holds for relinquishing your desire to lash out or seek revenge. Your joy grows exponentially when you not only respond righteously, but you add kindness to your reactions.
In Luke 6:35-36, Jesus expanded this understanding of mercy when He taught: "But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."
If you want to be happy, apply God's counsel and reflect His mercy in your treatment of others. Doing so will reduce stress, increase your calmness, improve your attitude, and give you the peace of God.
A common theme among people is that they just want to be happy. When you are happy, you tend to worry less and smile more. Being happy puts a bounce in your step and a twinkle in your eye. In addition, happiness produces a delightful and infectious attitude. Thus, the issue of happiness is not a matter of if you want it but, instead, how you can achieve it.
People think prosperity, possessions, popularity, and pleasure are the primary reasons for happiness. While an abundance of those areas can undoubtedly change your perspective and mood, they are short-term propositions at best. See, lasting and legitimate happiness comes from following God's instructions, mainly the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-11. In what is regarded as the first recorded teachings of Jesus, the Sermon on the Mount opens with Jesus explaining the pathway to blessing, which is synonymous with happiness. Most of these teachings seem counterintuitive because they go against the grain of our selfish thinking. Matthew 5:7 is a prime example when it says, "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy."
Notice again; "blessed" is interchangeable with the word "happy." Those who are blessed or happy show mercy to other people. The blessing is that God smiles on such people by increasing His compassion and kindness upon them. Therefore, whenever you hold your tongue when someone might deserve otherwise, you're making a decision that will lead to more happiness. The same holds for relinquishing your desire to lash out or seek revenge. Your joy grows exponentially when you not only respond righteously, but you add kindness to your reactions.
In Luke 6:35-36, Jesus expanded this understanding of mercy when He taught: "But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."
If you want to be happy, apply God's counsel and reflect His mercy in your treatment of others. Doing so will reduce stress, increase your calmness, improve your attitude, and give you the peace of God.
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Archive
2023
August
Good Decisions Require Discernment Live By God's PowerPraying For Real ComfortGetting In Rhythm With GodAvoid Self-Righteous PrayersKeep Your Promises With GodMercy Leads To HappinessAddress Any Self-Righteous AttitudesPraying With ConfidenceHow Does God See You?Turn Away From Whatever Gets You StuckStop Talking About Your ProblemsOur Prayers Reach God's EarsStress Management Starts In The MorningFollowing ChristNavigating The Darkness Of This World Measure God's PromisesLittle Light Of MineGet Your Priorities In OrderPraying Without Results Can Be ToughYou Can Overcome DoubtPray ContinuouslyRescue-Me Prayers Practice Inward KindnessTrust God's TimingSurrender My AgendaFocus On Being A River Rather Than A ReservoirGod's Gracious CoveringYou Are Never Out Of God's ReachSeek God With No Strings Attached
September
Rise Above Your AngerGod Is Fully Aware Of Your AdversityAll The Days Of My LifeBalance Rest And LaborStrive To Always Be SincereBreaking The Habit Of WorryPrayer For Students And SchoolsAn Antidote AnxietyTrust God And Leave The Results To HimDeclareSeek God For Strength Fatigue Makes You Vulnerable To Temptation Put The Work Of Waiting Into MotionTrust In God Leads To Blessing Are You Teachable?BelieveMeditate On Scripture To Manage StressThink Through Your Actions Get Back On God's PathOur Father Who Art In HeavenHallowed Be Thy NameYour Kingdom Come, Your Will Be DoneGive Us This Day Our Daily BreadForgive Us Of Our SinsLead Us Not Into TemptationDeliver Us From The Evil OneFor Yours Is The Kingdom And The Power And The Glory Forever. AmenGetting Out Of Your Mental PitYou Can Have Unshakable FaithKeep Short Accounts With God
October
God Of The Final SayStop Making Excuses And Start Making Adjustments God Acts On Behalf Of Those Who Wait On HimWaiting On God For DirectionGod's Perfect FaithfulnessWaiting Can Wear You OutGod's Refuge Is Your UmbrellaGod's Cover 4 DefenseRemove Negative Labels Live By God's PowerPraying For IsraelDiscouragement Is CurableGarbage In, Garbage Out Seeking God's BlessingMake Sundays Sacred We See A Battle, The Lord Sees Our Victory Refuse To Throw In The Towel God's Timing Is Trustworthy Be Miracle-MindedShake Off Negativity Keep Doing What Is RightMaintain An Active Church MembershipBe An Anyway Type Of PersonDetest Evil, Cling To Good Encouragement is oxygen for the mind.Kindness Will Reward YouCombine Prayer And ActionOvercoming Evil With Good Decisions
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