More often than I wish I run into Christians who admit that they've lost their Mojo (More Joy). Downcast by the burdens of life, they become withdrawn and reclusive. They're too "tired" to get involved in church activities, or too "busy" to be involved in local community outreach. And eventually their faith in God turns sour. His commands become a burden.
To those Christians I say "You need to learn how to develop your Mojo!"
Pastor Rick Warren certainly understands the starting point. He says that you and I need to believe that God has designed us for His purposes. Once we've got that straight we can then begin to exercise our spirits and develop a stronger Mojo.
First, we need to develop the attitude of gratitude. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us to "give thanks in ALL circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Jesus Christ." Have you gotten into the habit of whining and complaining about the things in your life that aren't going right? That just leads to bitterness. Stop whining and start worshiping! Develop your Mojo by making it a point to thank God for EVERYTHING He has allowed into your day, including the tough stuff. Why? Because these are the wounds of a friend (Proverbs 27:6). He loves you enough to mold you.
Second, develop your spirit of giving. Acts 20:35 says "it is more blessed to give than to receive." But I don't think most Christians believe that. We've been far too shaped by a culture which teaches the reverse. Advertisers have drilled it into our sub-consciences: "It is more blessed to RECEIVE than it is to give." Almost invariably I find that Christians who have lost their Mojo have stopped giving to others sacrificially -- whether it's their time, their love, or their resources. To strengthen your "MOre-JOy" get back on track with giving other people your time and energy and resources. Which leads me to the last point.
Third, develop your inner joy through service. In the book of Ephesians Paul reminds us to "serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, becuase you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he/she does" (6:7-8). As Rick Warren says in one of his books "The happiest people are usually too busy serving others to ask themselves 'Am I happy?' " To strengthen and develop your Mojo you need to find an area to serve, and then serve there. Sharing your faith in Christ with little kids, adults, or friends around the water cooler can give you a greater sense of personal joy than perhaps you have ever experienced before.
You see, joy seems so elusive because we've bought into the creed of our culture: "Live for yourself, and forget about others". That's the philosophy behind every home improvement show, every motorboat ad, and every invitation to the Bahamas. But it just leads to dissatisfaction, and a continual lust for more. Jesus tells us that REAL JOY comes from giving your life away, not nurturing and keeping it.
So make it your project this Summer, Fall, and coming Winter to develop MORE JOY by practicing three things that our Saviour modeled for us: thankfulness, giving, and actively serving the Lord.
Because this, friends, is the heart of God.
Labels: happiness, joy, service |
