1. We have many resources to make us happy
Philippians 1:1-2 "Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
Verse 2 is the reason for every Christian to be happy. The world looks for happiness in the wrong places: debauchery, material possessions, things that make life more interesting, but they are all temporary things. The true source of joy is Christ.
If you have accepted Jesus, it means you already have everything. In comparison to eternity, our joys and sorrows are insignificant. There is nothing better than having our name written in the Book of Life. God's grace and peace be with us, not only in this life but until the end of time. It cannot be compared to what we gain or lose in this world. For this reason, a born-again Christian should be the happiest person in the world and the most physically and mentally satisfied.
2. Look for Reasons to be Grateful
Philippians 1:3-5 “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,"
Let's build a good habit, which is by looking and exploring reasons to be grateful for our daily life to God. Don't be a negative person who is always looking for people's mistakes. Learn from Paul, the Book of Philippians is a letter written from prison. However, he was able to be grateful and encourage the congregation. If our marriage is currently in a bad state, it's hard to be grateful; don't divorce, but remember the holy matrimony at church, remember the times why you wanted to commit to your spouse.
3. Choose to believe and not to doubt
Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you, you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
To have faith and worry both require energy. Choose to have faith, that is, believe that God who initiates will surely complete it.
Don't listen to negative songs, but listen to faith-inspiring praises. Be careful in what we say. If we don't feel like believing, just say to God, "Lord, I choose to believe, in the name of Jesus." The greatest is faith, not feelings.
4. See the Positive Side and Count the Blessings?
Philippians 1:12-14 “Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chain for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. "
Paul always saw the positive, even he could count the blessings in disguise while he was in prison. Not only that, he even strengthened the Philippians through his letter. He witnessed that it was in prison that his conditions were creating some progress for the gospel. Let's learn like Paul to count our blessings one by one. Remember all the good things God has done, be thankful for simple things.
5. Choose to Forgive and Let Go
Philippians 1:15-18 “It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. "
Paul also had people who hold a grudge against him, people who were trying to make him fail. Still, Paul chose to be joyful.
Learn to ignore things that God doesn't consider important, things that are temporary. If there are words that hurt us, ignore them. Let us surrender tears of sadness as well as feelings of joy only to the things of God.
Learn to say "It’s okay", if you fail, "It’s okay", let's rise again with God.
Excerpted from Ps. Philip Mantofa's Sermon, 19 August 2020, Youtube & Instagram Live
https://youtu.be/Mx_8cEPgwYk
Learn to ignore things that God doesn't consider important, things that are temporary. Let us surrender tears of sadness as well as feelings of joy only to the things of God.
