Managing Moods - Week 2

Happiness at any Cost

"He who is of a merry heart has a continual feast" - Provers 15:15

This was a great study and we had great conversation about happiness and God's will for our lives.  
The opening paragraphs of the study suggest that we will do whatever it takes to be happy since happiness is the most esteemed of the emotions.  We will avoid whatever opportunities in life that we are presented with so that we will not be put in a situation that we could fail in our own eyes.  "We set up emotional comfort zones and stay within them.  No one can make us budge, not eve the LORD.  We create our own happy, little bubble - a safe haven, untouched by others. we take firm control so we can always be happy.  Happiness - no matter what the cost." 



It is apparent at the beginning of the study that our hearts are deceitful.  (Jeremiah 17:9, Mark 7:21-22). We will do what WE want to in order to be happy and it is our heart that will allow us to do that if we are not guarding it.  Solomon was wise.  In Proverbs 28:26 he says "If we follow our hearts along we are fools.  We must use our minds and heart to balance and walk according to his word." 


"Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life."  Proverbs 4:23 (NLT)

Thankfully, God understands our hearts when they leave us confused.  God is able to see beyond the outward appears to the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).  God knows the secrets of the heart (Psalm 44:21).  The Lord can search the heart and examine the mind (Jeremiah 17:10).  God's word judges the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts (Hebrews 4:12).


God knows our hearts.  Proverbs 3:5 says "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not into your own understanding (NLT)."  Trust God and don't try to figure everything out on your own.  Psalm 34:18 says "The Lord is close to those who are of a broken heart and saves such as are crushed with sorrow for sin and are humbly and thoroughly penitent (repentant)."  


"Create in me a clean heart, O God.  Renew a loyal spirit with in me" Psalm 51:10.  When I feel that I'm not feeling thoughts that would be delightful in the Lord's eyes I have this song on my iPod and I will listen to it over and over again until I feel that my heart will not lead me astray from the word of the Lord.   Ezekiel 18:31 says "to rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit."


Happiness should not be our goal.  We should be looking for God to make us new and give us a pure heart.  God promises in Ezekiel 36:26 that we will get a new heart and a new spirit.  He will take away our stubborn stony heart and give us a tender responsive heart.  Isn't that what we all want?  A tender and responsive heart. 


Trinket to Treasure - Bar of Soap

"Our heart is deceitful.  Sneaky as a snake.  Crafty as a fox.  Wiley as Wiley Coyote, and just as persistent in trying to get what it wants.  To remind us of this, this week's trinket is a bar of soap.  No matter how much we want for God to make us clean, our heart is as slippery as soap.  If we keep this in mind, we can be on guard against the whims of emotion.  When we are wise, we cannot be led astray by the wiles of the heart."

Depending on God to stir my heart and do HIS will...Nelda