Happy Monday! Today I am sharing 3 reasons why you should pursue meaning, not happiness. We spend a lot of time and effort pursuing things that we think will make us happy. Once we have these things, we realize these things don’t really make us happy at all.
Pursue meaning, not happiness…
Viktor Emil Frankl was an Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, philosopher, author, and Holocaust survivor. He was the founder of the school of psychotherapy which describes a search for a life meaning as the central human motivational force. Frankl was arrested and put into a Nazi concentration camp along with his wife and parents. Frankl was the only one that survived.
He attributed his survival to one thing; meaning. Studies reveal that having a clear overall purpose and meaning in life increases our overall health and well-being. However, Frankl believes that our pursuit of happiness is the one thing that thwarts our chances to be happy. He also goes on to relate happiness to being a “taker” and meaning to being a “giver.” Frankl, provides 3 reasons why we should pursue meaning, not happiness.
How do we pursue meaning?
- First, by doing a good deed.
- Second, experiencing something.
- Third, the attitude we have when we experience suffering.
In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were accused of advocating customs unlawful for the Romans. They were beaten with rods and then thrown into prison. Instead of griping and complaining, they spent their time praying and singing hymns to God.
In life, we will experience suffering. You may be going through something today and it has overtaken you. I know all too well it is hard to have a good attitude when we are going through trials. But, we have a God who will be with us every step of the way. He will never leave us. Look to God to find meaning.
Everything can be taken from a man but one thing; the last of the human freedoms to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way. ~Viktor Frankl
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To learn more about the life of Viktor Frankl, visit the websites below.
Citation: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/01/theres-more-to-life-than-being-happy/266805/
Citation: http://www.logotherapyinstitute.org/About_Logotherapy.html
Happy Monday friends! As I was thinking about the events of this week, I started to think about things that have happened in my life over the years. Just when I thought I made it through a challenge, another one came along. Many times, I have felt so tired that even breathing was difficult. I am going to talk about two ways to keep moving forward even when you are tired.
Just tired…
My husband and I recently got the Covid. We did all the right things such as wearing a mask, social distancing, washing our hands, using hand sanitizer, not going out, etc. No matter how hard we tried not to get it, we still got it. The last three weeks have not been a picnic. But even still, God brought us through and continues to do so. We keep moving forward even when we are tired.
It was during these times that I chose to focus on all of the times God has been faithful in my life. When it seemed I couldn’t go on, God was there.
Moving forward…
First, change your focus to something other than. your challenges. Try focusing on God in the mornings and in the evenings.
Second, try self-talk. Say out loud that God is for me. He will never let me down. He loves me. I have nothing to fear. You will begin to have a whole new perspective.
Proverbs 4: 23 says “Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.”
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Hello Friends and Happy Monday! This is the season for love. I think we use the word love so loosely. Personally, I struggle with Valentine’s Day every year. I love gifts but I don’t think there needs to be a special day to give or receive a gift. There definitely doesn’t need to be a special day to show love to someone. However, I would love a special delivery, from God right about now.
One thing that I have struggled with over the last several weeks is the amount of hate that I am seeing from people. The problem with this type of hate is it resembles more of a GroupThink! I have never in my life been a follower and I won’t start now.
Don’t get me wrong, I have used the word hate many times in my life. For example, I hate brussels sprouts and I hate dirty dishes in my sink. I also hate to clean toilets. But these are only superficial. I believe the hate we are seeing goes way beyond my hate for dirty dishes or cleaning the toilets.
I recently started a Bible study in the book of Proverbs. I want to know more and the book of Proverbs is a great place to start.
God instructs us in Proverbs 1:5, “The wise also will hear and increase in learning, and the person of understanding will acquire skills and attain to sound counsel.”
We are loved
Folks God is giving us a special delivery every day. He sent us His word to live by. Everything we need to know is in the Bible. I don’t know about you but I want to be wise and a person of understanding.
Special Delivery, Love God!
Mark 12:31 states, “The second is like it and is this. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandments greater than these.”
God loves us even when we make mistakes. God loves us so much that he sent His son to die on a cross for our sins. He will always love us.
This is the kind of love that I want to focus on this Valentine’s Day.
I love the lyrics to this song Daystar Shine Down On Me! sung by Jason Crabb!
Here are a few lyrics:
Lord, I ‘ve seen a world thats dying wounded by the master of deceit.
Groping in the darkness haunted by the years of mass defeat.
But when I see you standing near me shining with Compassion in your eyes.
I pray Jesus shine down on me, let your love shine through me in the night!
Special Delivery, Love God!
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