Would you describe yourself as joyful, peaceful, and happy? Or do you find yourself constantly pursuing good works, accomplishments, or awards as a way to feel significant or valuable? If so, you may be living a life-filled with striving.
As Charles F. Stanley stated, people who live that way tend to believe they are unworthy before God or others. They don't allow themselves the so-called luxury of spending time just meditating on the Lord; they must be doing something they believe is vitally important. Many times, they feel tremendous guilt if they take even five minutes to rest.
Let me assure you of this: striving will never result in your salvation. Nor will it produce the inner quality God desires to see in each of us—trust in Him. Striving will drain your joy, peace, and contentment. It saps energy. It produces a constant feeling of inner exhaustion, which can produce feelings of depression and discouragement. But God's Word declares:
How blessed is the man who finds wisdom
And the man who gains understanding…Her ways are pleasant ways
And all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
And happy are all who hold her fast (Prov. 3:13, 17-18).
Those who walk wisely will experience "pleasantness," peace, and happiness. Wisdom is likened to a tree—a living, long-lasting shelter that provides a place of inner rest against life's storm's and the heat of life's troubles.
Can a person live in joy, peace, and contentment every second of every day throughout life? No. Moments of panic, fear, discouragement, sadness, disappointment, or pain hit all of us from time to time. But joy, peace, and contentment can characterize your life as a whole.
When someone faces a difficulty, the wisdom of God reminds that person of these truths:
- God loves me unconditionally.
- God is in control.
- God has a reason for allowing this in my life.
- God is walking through this difficult time with me.
When we know with certainty that God is in control, that He loves us beyond measure, and that He is at work in our lives, we have the genuine capacity to praise and thank Him even in the midst of the most dire, discouraging, or depressing times. Our praise and thanksgiving create in us very alive feelings of joy and peace.
Take a look for a moment at what causes frustration, anxiety, and worry. Those who are without God—or who are rejecting God's wisdom—can't help but feel anxious because from their perspective, life is out of control. Their existence is solitary, marked by chaos, void of love, and lived moment to moment and feeling to feeling.
What a terrible way to live! Even if it's not carried to the extreme, such a belief system can weigh a person down.
At the very core of our self-image is the desire to be loved and regarded as lovable. Only God can fully satisfy that need. When we come to believe that He loves us and deems us worthy of His unconditional love, you and I have the foundation for a healthy, godly self-esteem.
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