Faith For Today

Are You Enduring Life or Enjoying Life?

(John 10:10)

The Bible tells us, “The thief comes only in order that he may steal and my kill and my destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance, to the full, til it overflows” (John 10:10 Amplified). Jesus didn’t come just so we could go to heaven…He wants us to have and enjoy every day life!

As I mentioned last month, so much of our life is ordinary and routine. It’s Monday morning sales meetings, Friday afternoon traffic jams, taking the kids to soccer practices, mowing the lawn and doing the laundry. Is it possible to enjoy the ordinary? Please allow me to give you three tremendous tips to enjoy the ordinary:

1. Be where you are!

“Yea, but I wish I was there.” But you’re not there, you are here. Therefore you might as well enjoy here. I’m certainly not saying you can’t go over there, but right now you are here so you might as well enjoy it!

2. Savor your now.

People usually don’t remember days, they remember moments. For example, I will never forget the moment Johnathan (my son) and I first held hands. Johnathan was getting his first mandatory shot just after he was born in the hospital. This nurse came into our room with what seemed like a mighty big shot for such a little baby, stuck it in my boy’s thigh and walked off. Johnathan was crying and I went over and stuck out my little pinky and he grabbed onto it for dear life. From that moment to this day my heart melted with love for my son. As long as I live I’ll never forget that moment!

Some things are passing you by every day. If you keep letting your moments pass by, at the end of your life all you’ll have is regrets. Remember this…you’ll never have a second chance to enjoy today!

3. Make today a major event.

You are alive! Therefore, love big! Smile big! Give big! Laugh big! Exude joy everywhere you go! Exude Jesus everywhere you go!

With the aforementioned having been said, please allow me to continue our discussion on our “Eight Jumpstarts to Enjoy your Journey.” Last month we discussed:

Jumpstart #1…Recognize Jesus is the Most Joyful Person ever (Heb. 1:9)!

Jumpstart #2…Recognize You are Supposed to Enjoy your Life (Phil. 4:4)!

Jumpstart #3…Make a Quality Decision to Enjoy your Life (Ps. 118:24)

Jumpstart #4…Learn to Enjoy Every Day Life (Ps. 118:24)

Jumpstart #5…Learn to Get over the “I’ll be Glad When’s”.

So many Christians think I’ll be glad when:

1. This is over

2. I’m on vacation

3. I get married

4. This problem goes away

5. I finally graduate

6. I get a new job

7. My kids finally act right

8. I get this promotion

Won’t anybody out there just be glad now! Don’t let your moods be like fine china…you only bring them out for special occasions. Save your best moods for every day! Let’s enjoy life now!

Jumpstart #6…Go to a Church that is Full of Joy (Rom. 14:17).

Here the Bible tells us, “The kingdom of God is not in meat or drink, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.” Joy is a characteristic of the kingdom of God. Church should be a representation of the kingdom of God. Therefore, there should be joy in our church! Unfortunately most of the churches out there are pastored by Reverend Billy Bob Bummer! You see, trying God and trying church are two separate things. To most people, church represents God and in most cases very unfriendly! Most churches tell you what not to believe and what not to do. Most churches never tell you that you should enjoy your life! Most churches never tell you how to enjoy your life. If it’s ok to cry in church then it’s ok to laugh!

Jumpstart #7…Learn to Enjoy your Life (Heb. 12:1).

Here the Bible tells us, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race set before us.” We all have specific “races” we are individually supposed to run. I can never truly enjoy my life if I am secretly wanting yours! We’ve got to get over the “If onlys”:

1. If only I had your life

2. If only I could get married like him

3. If only I wasn’t married like her

4. If only I had kids

5. If only my kids would leave

6. If only my spouse was like yours

7. If only I looked like you

Let’s get over the “if onlys” and learn to enjoy the life God gave you!

Jumpstart #8…Lighten up and Laugh (Prov. 17:23).

Here the Bible tells us, “A merry heart does good like a medicine…”. Learn to cut yourself some slack…just not sloppiness. Did you know that adults laugh only four to eight times a day (I know some Christians who laugh much less than that!). Children, on the other hand, laugh 150 times a day! God chose us, faults and all, and He knows every stupid thing we’d ever say or do…yet He still chose us! Learn to lighten up and laugh!

Look at the marvelous benefits of laughter:

1. Laughter releases endorphins

2. Laughter relieves pain

3. Laughter creates a sense of well-being

4. Laughter raises energy levels

5. Laughter releases tension

6. Laughter releases anger, shame and guilt

7. Laughter strengthens major organs

8. Laughter strengthens the immune system

9. Laughter increases antibodies

10. Laughter protects against virus

11. Laughter protects against bacteria

12. Laughter strengthens the heart

Hopefully I can give you a little laughter work out. Just a few months after we started Joy Church we had a work day at one of the widow’s houses who attends our church. While my wife and I were working, a 60-year old woman in our church was watching Johnathan. A ground floor window was open and this woman held Johnathan up to see his daddy. When I saw my boy I exclaimed with a loud voice, “Give me a big smoochie!” Well, there was yet another woman behind the 60-year old woman watching my boy, who could not see Johnathan. All she saw was her Pastor’s big lips puckered up headed towards this 60-year old woman, while exclaiming “Give me a big smoochie!” Needless to say, she was quite relieved when she saw my boy!

What do you say…let’s lighten up and laugh and quit enduring life…and start enjoying life!