In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV)
Many Christians assume that happiness is something that should happen naturally in their lives. But just as we grow in faith, hope, love and wisdom, we can grow in our ability to experience a joy-filled life.
Others assume that a lack of joy is a sign that God is displeased with them, but joy is something we need to develop on a continual basis. There are skills we need to build to experience more joy.
One skill involved in experiencing more joy is the ability to focus on what you appreciate. Appreciation involves both recognizing and enjoying something good. It’s what happens when you move your focus to what you’re grateful for or when you acknowledge the value of someone or something.
It’s easy to find things you’re unhappy with. That doesn’t take skill. But when things go wrong, it takes skill to see the silver lining. Even when you are going through something really difficult, you can build your sense of joy by focusing on something you’re thankful for. You can build this skill by thinking about what others have given, recognizing their worth and being grateful for their contribution.
Appreciate the value of your spouse, kids, parents and friends, and let them know how you feel. Recognize how valuable your leaders are and be thankful for your job and your church. Appreciate the value of having Jesus in your life as well. Recognize what He did for you on the cross and thank Him for it regularly!
Every morning, choose to focus on what you appreciate. As you make this a habit, you build a skill that can lead you to experience more joy throughout your life.