by Kim Avery
Do you ever wonder why when given similar circumstances some people are still happier than others? Clearly, our mood is more than an external affair.
In fact, God tells us that how we feel is not a result of what happens to us but an expression of what we think and do.
As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.
Proverbs 23:7
So choose life in order that you may live…
by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice,
and by holding fast to Him;
for this is your life and the length of your days…
Deuteronomy 30:19-20.
Research agrees. Below are 8 Proven Bad Mood Boosters to set your day and your life on a more joyful path today.
1. Journaling – Journaling provides a wonderful emotional outlet and connects your deepest thoughts with the presence of the Living God. Just a few of the benefits that journaling has been shown to provide are increased hopefulness, comfort in stress, increased happiness, and a longer life.
2. Expressing Gratitude – Again and again, God calls us to become a praising, thankful people. This is not because He needs to hear our praise but because He knows it is good for us. Regularly expressed gratitude can increase life satisfaction, lower depression, reduce anxiety, and enhance your mood.
3. Physical Exercise – God made the body for movement and the more we use it the better we feel. Exercise reduces tension, anxiety, and depression all while increasing self-confidence, happiness, energy, and compassion.
4. Volunteer Work – The clear call of Scripture is to love others and to care for their needs. Research shows that the beauty in obedience is that the more we give, the more we get. Volunteers have been found to be happier and to live longer than their less altruistic peers.
5. Savoring Happy Memories – “Remember” is one of the most repeated calls in the Old Testament. Remember who God is and remember what He has done. Studies have shown that this savoring consistently leads to greater joy. Maybe it’s time to get scrapbooking again?
6. Forgiving – If there is anything we associate with our loving God, it is the incredible gift of forgiveness that He has given. And He calls us to do the same for others. Working through the difficult process of forgiving another enhances all our relationships and actually lowers your heart rate leading to better health.
7. Using Your Strengths – God gave us spiritual gifts and then commanded us to use them. And studies now show that using your strengths improves your mood and leads to greater success.
8. Meditation – Yep. God told us to pray without ceasing and it benefits us in various ways. Meditation (prayer) can actually rewire our brain allowing us to experience significant boosts in happiness, health, quality of relationships, empathy and resilience.
I just love God, don’t you? We’ve known all along that His commandments to us are for our good and now science can actually measure those results along physical lines. I can only begin to imagine the true effect of obedience when God’s spiritual benefits are added in as well.
We know now, more than ever before, obeying God makes a happier you.
What benefits have you discovered in an area of obedience? I hope you will let us know by leaving a comment in the box below.
