THE KEY TO HAPPINESS

"I'm so sick of my job!" "I feel so depressed." "Life is so stressful!" Statements like these are common place among people I minister to as a local church pastor. It seems that many people, christian and non-christian alike, are stuck in a rut in their every-day lives. A job transition or relationship change may seem to be the answer, but usually it isn't. There is a key to happiness that the follower of Jesus Christ has access to, and it is this; Joyfully Give Jesus Your Best! Colossians 3:23 says "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward." It can be un-fulfilling to work for an earthly boss or go through the mundane routines of life, but if we do things wholeheartedly as unto the Lord, then suddenly life has true significance! As you give your best and "bloom where you're planted", you will shine your light for Jesus and make a positive difference in this world.

WHAT MATTERS MOST

Life can be confusing, hectic, and exhausting. We try to maintain our priorities in their proper order, but they easily get muddled in the mayhem! Sometimes we overload our calendars by trying to do everything (some things necessary and others not so much), including every child's sporting event, PTA meeting, and extra shift at work. The problem with this lifestyle is that we become spread too thin, and important areas in our life begin to suffer, such as quality time with our family or prayer time with the Lord. It helps bring clarity of purpose when we simplify, living selective to be effective, so I decided to give my personal belief on What Matters Most in this life. Many things come to mind; God, family, friends, freedom to worship, enjoying life, helping others, and for some, winning the Superbowl! For me it boils down to fulfilling the two "Greats" given by God; 1. The Great Commandment ~ Love the Lord your God with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength, and Love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12), and 2. The Great Commission ~ Go into all the world and make disciples of Jesus (Matthew 28). Everything we do in life should serve to accomplish these two great mandates given by God. It may not always be easy, in fact, it can be down-right challenging. But Jesus helps us everyday through the instruction of His Word and the counsel of His Spirit speaking into our hearts. The road is hard, but the reward is great - eternal life in Heaven!