Happiness is a state of mind

I tweeted a week or ago that 'Happiness is as much an act of the will as it is a state of mind. Don't let your circumstances dictate your mood.'That thought struck me as I was headed to of all places, the dump. One of my least favorite things to do and places to go. As I was thinking to myself, well more whining actually about the 'dump run' I heard that gentle whisper. Not that God is overly concerned about my trash disposal, but he is however very concerned with my state of mind and my heart.

Paul of Tarsus, has always facinated me with his change of heart on the Damascus road. He was a man who went through life boiling mad at anyone who he felt defied the Law of Moses. [Acts 9:1] Yet when confronted by Jesus he changed; his heart changed. He, in the span of a short time went from persecutor to the persecuted. Yet in all of his writings he is full of joy regardless of his circumstances. Well except for the last few chapters of 2 Corinthians and a section of Galatians. He never let his circumstances dictate his mood. Good thing, because he fought an uphill battle from the Damascus road to the Mamertine dungeon in Rome. Yet along the way shook the Roman Empire with the Gospel.

We are into the Christmas season, where worries abound. Some are without jobs, money, home, or have lost family members. Some are dealing with sickness and hospital or just plain struggle at this time. Grab onto Jesus . 'Happiness is a state of mind' I have found, is not a cheesy statement that I made up on a dump run. It's a Biblical fact found in Christ, that say's regardless of our circumstances He is in control and we can choose to be happy in that. That doesn't get rid of the circumstances, but it does keep us from being controlled by them.

From prison Paul wrote to the Philippians, and many many times he reminded them to rejoice or to be happy. Remember he was in prison. He always put it this way: 'Rejoice in the LORD'. In other words be happy in him regardless where you find yourself.

'Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.' [Rom 12:2]