When Life is Throwing Bullets at You

When life is throwing bullets at you.
I want to give someone credit for reminding me of these four things but I don’t remember who it was. Most of the words are mine, so you can blame me.
Find something to wake up everyday and be thankful for. Write, at least weekly, in a thankful journal. It changes your attitude. You cannot be grateful and grouchy at the same time. I started this when my dad died about a year and half ago.

Next, find a verse to sustain you and read it over and over again.
Make your own list. Put them on index cards and pull them out when you need them. Or post them on stickies. Or better yet, memorize them!

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”
‭‭John‬ ‭15:11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“We must never stop looking to Jesus. He is the leader of our faith, and he is the one who makes our faith complete. He suffered death on a cross. But he accepted the shame of the cross as if it were nothing because of the joy he could see waiting for him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God’s throne.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:2‬ ‭ERV‬‬

“Always be filled with joy in the Lord. I will say it again. Be filled with joy.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:4‬ ‭ERV‬‬

“Always be full of joy.”
‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:16‬ ‭ERV‬‬

“This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be happy today!”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭118:24‬ ‭ERV‬‬

Definitely, find a song to lift your spirits.                                                
“Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises!”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭47:6‬ ‭ERV‬‬

My favorite is In Christ Alone,

https://youtu.be/wNRFumI2ch0

And another favorite , Reckless Love
https://youtu.be/Sc6SSHuZvQE

Oh man...if those songs do not bring you joy!!!

Lastly, find a joyful person to talk to. My son, Luke, is a good one for me to call. He is absolutely full of joy because, in spite of any difficult circumstance, he really does the first three things on this list. He has a heart of gratitude. He loves the Bible. He has played praise and worship songs for years.

Was he always this way? Heavens, no! But I has seen the way God has changed him by these principles and I know they work.

I would go as far as to say, if you are not willing to do these four things because they are too much trouble, you don’t want to get joy in your life. You would rather stay miserable.