Favor

How has this past year been for you? I have had my ups and downs. I am grateful for all of the many blessings that have been bestowed upon me. I have truly experienced the favor of God. But there are things in my life that have to change. There are things that are making me unhappy. I have been spending time contemplating what I need to do in order to bring change.

I first decided that I need to know what it means to be happy. Understanding happiness can be tricky. If we are not circumspect, seeking happiness can cause us to go down paths that are not meant for us to travel. Happiness is based on the circumstances in our lives. Sometimes we don’t have control over our circumstances which means if we hunt for happiness we may be trying to change things that we are unable to change. This will no doubt bring about hopelessness. Hopelessness brings depression. Depression can rob you of your life.

So is it happiness that we should seek? No, I believe that we should seek contentment. Contentment comes out of the joy that is deep inside of you. The Scriptures tell us that “the joy of the Lord is our strength”. We can be full of joy even when our circumstances are full of unhappiness. Does this mean that we just sit back and roll with the punches of life with a smile on our faces? Does this mean that we just sit around stagnant waiting? No way. We should never choose to settle for just anything. We must go after our desires and dreams. They are there for a purpose. We must fulfill the destiny that we were placed in the earth to achieve. Note: you are never too old to start.

Coming to this conclusion, I sat down and pondered. I needed to figure out what I required in my life to be content. Then I prayed. I am not happy about some of the changes that I have to make but I am content. I am looking forward to the challenges of the coming New Year and I am excited about my impending success. Please join me.

Pam Palmer Cooper