{"id":569,"date":"2017-01-18T23:20:52","date_gmt":"2017-01-18T23:20:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/yourmorningcupofinspiration\/?p=569"},"modified":"2017-01-18T23:20:52","modified_gmt":"2017-01-18T23:20:52","slug":"finding-joy-peace-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/yourmorningcupofinspiration\/2017\/01\/finding-joy-peace-god.html","title":{"rendered":"Finding Joy and Peace with God"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"OLYMPUS<\/a><\/p>\n

When we keep our focus on God, we are able to feel joyful, or at the very least, peaceful about life. The problem is that our natural inclination is to focus on other human beings, rather than God.\u00a0 That is a recipe for frustration.\u00a0 Other human beings aren\u2019t reliable.\u00a0 They are fallible.\u00a0 They have moods.\u00a0 They make mistakes.\u00a0 Human beings can be intentionally or unintentionally cruel or inconsiderate.\u00a0 As a result, giving them the power to affect our happiness puts us on a continual emotional rollercoaster.<\/p>\n

The only way to get off that rollercoaster is to keep our minds focused on God. That is very hard to do.\u00a0 For me, it is a daily struggle.\u00a0 But I know that when I shift my attention away from people and shift it to God, something amazing happens.\u00a0 I feel calmer.\u00a0 My problems are put in perspective.\u00a0 And I feel less alone because I know that God is with me.<\/p>\n

Now we all commune with God in different ways. I commune with God by writing.\u00a0 When I write, it isn\u2019t a frantic activity.\u00a0 It is a meditative process.\u00a0 It allows me to feel connected to God in a way that no other activity can accomplish.\u00a0 When I write, I will jot down a sentence and then pause.\u00a0 I\u2019ll think.\u00a0 I\u2019ll try to listen to the guidance that God might be trying to impart to me.\u00a0 And then I\u2019ll continue with another sentence.\u00a0 When I write, no matter what is going on in my life, I feel relaxed and at peace.<\/p>\n

The key, then, is to find the activity that allows you to feel in connection with God, and that gives you a respite from your worldly frustrations. For some, that activity might be prayer or meditation.\u00a0 For others, it may be listening to uplifting music.\u00a0 For you, it may be walking in nature, or walking your dog.\u00a0 For someone else, it might be reading something spiritually uplifting.<\/p>\n

Most of us know what our special activity is \u2013 the one that give us that feeling of calm and well-being. The activity that helps us feel closer to God.\u00a0 The challenge is to find a way to incorporate that activity into our daily lives.<\/p>\n

Most of us aren\u2019t monks or nuns. We aren\u2019t paid to be spiritual.\u00a0 Instead, having a spiritual life is something that we have to add to our already lengthy To Do List of worldly responsibilities.\u00a0 But the benefit of having a spiritual practice is that it makes the rest of life run smoother.<\/p>\n

A relationship with God is the foundation on which we can approach life with a peaceful frame of mind. Without that relationship, we easily can be overwhelmed and frustrated.\u00a0 We can lose hope when we don\u2019t see a solution to our problems.\u00a0 And we can feel so terribly alone when we have to face a difficult situation.<\/p>\n

When we commune with God, we are reminded of what is important (family, friends, living honorably) versus what is unimportant (our social and economic status). We are reminded that God provides, even in the most unlikely situations.\u00a0 We remember that when we cannot see a way out of a situation, God can create one.\u00a0 And we are reminded that God isn\u2019t concerned with how other people around us are acting.\u00a0 Rather, he is concerned with our behavior, and whether we are being kind and patient.<\/p>\n

So true, sustained joy and peace begins with God. It is not something that we can buy.\u00a0 No other human being can give it to us.\u00a0 It only comes when we place our focus on God.<\/p>\n

This week, consider how you can make your relationship with God a daily priority. When our relationship with God is the foundation upon which we build our lives, life goes smoother.\u00a0 Pick the activity that allows you to best feel the presence of God and incorporate that activity into your daily routine.\u00a0 In doing so, over time you will be blessed with the joy and peace that comes from a life lived in connection with God.<\/p>\n

(Photo Courtesy of Pexels)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When we keep our focus on God, we are able to feel joyful, or at the very least, peaceful about life. The problem is that our natural inclination is to focus on other human beings, rather than God.\u00a0 That is a recipe for frustration.\u00a0 Other human beings aren\u2019t reliable.\u00a0 They are fallible.\u00a0 They have moods.\u00a0…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":593,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-569","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nFinding Joy and Peace with God - Your Morning Cup of Inspiration<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/yourmorningcupofinspiration\/2017\/01\/finding-joy-peace-god.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Finding Joy and Peace with God - Your Morning Cup of Inspiration\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"When we keep our focus on God, we are able to feel joyful, or at the very least, peaceful about life. 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