The key to happiness, peace, and contentment

For as long as I can remember, I've heard "Christians" say that what the world is longing for can only be found in Christ Jesus. When I was younger, attending church regularly with my grandparents, I didn't know what that meant. When I became a teenager, I often wondered what that actually looked like. I am older now and I can personally testify to the truth of that statement that I heard so often. I now know what it feels, and looks like.

Over the course of my Christian journey, I've run into all types of believers. Some were very knowledgable in the Word of God, while others were always faithfully attending church meetings, and then there were those who just seem to be busily involved in various ministry areas. 

I guess deep down inside, I was always searching for the Christian who was happy, and contented. I was interested in keeping company with those who knew God personally and who had something new and fresh to say about Him. I wanted to hear  powerful testimonies of God's miraculous power and the ways in which He showed love to His people.

As the years went on, I heard less and less testimonies let alone powerful ones. There were fewer and fewer people sharing the Lord on a personal, intimate level with. All I seemed to encounter was the general shop talk and socializing. I began to wonder about this title "Christian".

I know from personal experience that when I am enjoying anyone, relationship wise, I look forward to being with and around them. I can't help but speak of them to others because of the affect they're having on me. The same can be said about our one on one relationship with the Lord God. That's where everything in our life springs from. 

When we are in an open honest relationship with God, we can speak freely to Him about all of our secrets. We can unveil to Him the dark hidden places in our heart that no one knows about. We can trust Him with all of our thoughts, and feelings, knowing He will always do right by us. This is where our Happiness, Peace, and Contentment lies! It can only be found in a honest, trusted, relationship with the Lord God.

So why is it some of us who warm the church bench with sad faces? Faces of boredom, emptiness, and discontent is what I've been seeing for quite some time. There are those who snap at you, ignore you, barely part their lips to greet you, and those who roll their eyes at you, and those who avoid  you altogether. 

How can we carry the title or claim of  "Christian" when we are behaving in ways that don't go hand in hand with the faith?

I've come to the conclusion that perhaps some of us have not been cultivating much a relationship with God at all. That's the bottom line. James4:8 says, "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." Jeremiah 29:11 states, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." Do we believe that?

God knows all about you and what you need. Only He can make you Happy, at Peace, with Contentment despite what you may be going through, and despite what may be happening all around you. Don't warm a church bench in misery or take on the title "Christian" if you aren't living in the good of it. Get in close with the Lord and let Him meet you right where you are. Let Him show you how to be fulfilled on the inside. 

                                                                  HAVE A BLESSED THANKSGIVING!

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