New Testament Baptist Church

But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.-PSALM 5:11

A fascinating study on the principle of the Golden Rule was conducted by Bernard Rimland, director of the Institute for Child Behavior Research. Each person involved in the study was asked to list ten people he knew best and to label them as happy or unhappy. Then they were to go through that list again and label each one as selfish or unselfish, using the following definition of selfishness: “a stable tendency to devote one’s time and resources to one’s own interests and welfare-an unwillingness to inconvenience one’s self for others.”

In categorizing the results, Rimland found that all of the people labeled happy were also labeled unselfish. Rimland stated, “The happiest people are those who help others.”

How often are we, as Christians, seen as ungrateful, unhappy people? We have no cause to be unhappy! God has given us so much more than we deserve, and for that reason alone, we should rejoice! God has also promised to provide, protect, and guide us. There’s nothing that should steal our joy when we know God is watching over us.

We can easily get caught up with the busyness and stress of life that we neglect to be joyful. But God has commanded us in Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.” There will be times, God says when you don’t feel like being joyful; even during those times, God says to rejoice! The easiest way to bring joy to your life is to think of others.

Are you known as a joyful person? Determine today to display joy in your life. When life gets you down, focus on others and let God restore joy in your heart.

JONAH & REVELATION 10

a daily WORD by PAUL CHAPPELL