We live in a world of distractions. We have trained our eyes to look from one shiny thing to the next. But material goods will never satisfy us. We will always long for the next new shiny thing. Because of our infatuation with worldly things, we are often forgetting to seek the only one who can bring us complete and utter happiness. There is only one who can energize our weary hearts, fill us with contentment, and show us unconditional love. Because God is love and created love, he has unconditional love to give. We were not made to go through this life alone. “For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you” (Isaiah 41:13). God blesses us with family and friends for companionship and love but they should not be our sole source of fulfillment. “The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God” (Psalm 14:2). If we apply these verses to our lives, we understand that God wants to be apart of our day to day to guide us, help us, and protect us. Without him, we are missing our true source of comfort and love that cannot be found anywhere else. The key to this is we must seek him and invite him to be a part of our journey, have joy and gratitude in the present moment, and limit distractions. Below are 3 secrets to help you find complete and utter happiness and peace.
Be Aware of Distractions
Distractions blind our minds from experiencing the joy and peace God has to offer. Distractions come in many forms but they all do one thing-prevent us from being aware of God’s presence. If you are aware of what distracts you personally, you can develop a plan to prevent yourself from living each day in a sleepy state of mind. Examples of distractions are focusing on useless thoughts that replay over and over in your mind, constant phone use, the TV always on playing in the background, or listening to never ending podcasts. Our society has been trained to live in a constant state of noise. While some of this is positive, too much prevents us from experiencing the gifts of joy, love, and peace from the Lord. Try distancing yourself from constant noise and be aware of your personal distractions. One great way our family has put this in the forefront of our conscious is to enable your screen time notifications. It’s shocking when you first turn it on to realize how much time you spend living your life in your phone as opposed to seeing the magnificent world the Lord has created all around us. If you can conquer your distractions, you will discover the Lord’s gift of peace and guidance for your life.
Be Vigilant in the Now
“Time isn’t precious at all, because it is an illusion. What you perceive as precious is not time but the one point that is out of time: the Now. That is precious indeed. The more you are focused on time — past and future — the more you miss the now, the most precious thing there is” (Eckhart Tolle – The Power of Now).
The second step to complete and utter fulfillment is to be alive and awake in each and every moment that comes to you. So many of us dwell on regrets from the past or worries of the future. You will never get to rewind and fast forward parts of your life as much as you wish to. Don’t focus on your past and long for something different. Try not to imagine steps you are going to take in future years from now. We are not able to plan for these things because we are unaware of what life is going to bring. The one thing we can control is be alive, alert, and present in the current moment. You will never get it back. And the best part of the present moment is where we find Jesus’ presence. We can find and feel Jesus’ presence in the most beautiful of things, but if you look close enough most often times we find Him in the simplest of things. In the present moment, we find Jesus through the laughter of our children, the heat of the sun, the sparkles in the white snow (or the sand if you don’t live in Wyoming), and other simple gifts we often take for granted. When we live in the present moment, we are full of awe and gratitude for the blessings bestowed upon us. Through gratitude and being present in the now is where we find the secret to fulfillment.
To learn more about living in the present moment, I highly recommend reading, “The Power of Now”, by Eckhart Tolle. This book is a guide to spiritual enlightenment and finding the beauty of life in the present. This book changed my life and I will continue to read it every few years since renewing my mind is a constant endeavor. Click the link below to check on the book on Amazon.
Invite God to be Apart of your Day, Everyday
The third step to a life of complete and utter happiness is to invite God to be apart of your day, everyday. We shouldn’t save time for God just on Sundays. Inviting God to be a part of your day-to-day grants us the clarity of self-thought and spirituality through our everyday lives. It doesn’t matter how you do this. It could be through writing in a journal. It could be through a quiet prayer. It could be screaming outside for all to hear. It doesn’t matter! In order to receive the joy and peace the Lord has to offer, invite him to be apart of your life daily. “Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually” (1 Chronicles 16:11). A simple invitation of, “Jesus guide me and be with me today” is all it takes.
Conclusion
A life full of happiness and fulfillment is attainable for everyone through these 3 steps: Being vigilant in the present moment, minimizing distractions, and inviting God to be a part of your day, everyday. You will experience gratitude, joy, and peace through daily commitment and an intimate relationship with the Lord.
Check out my blog post, How to Keep a Vibrant Prayer Life When You Have No Time, below.
Can’t wait for you to try a few of these tips in your life!
Xo,
Merr
Love reading your words.