Joyful Living: Emotional And Mental Stability
For any person on earth to enjoy joyful living, certain things must be understood. Firstly, it begins with understanding that joyful living is not something that just comes with accomplishments from work, academics, business or career. While success in these areas can make a person happy, they are not enough to guarantee one a joyful living.
There is a huge difference between happiness and joy; while the former is a feeling triggered by happenings, the latter is triggered by knowledge. The word of God lets us know that being joyful should be a continuous state; not one that happens as a result of certain success/milestones in our lives. If you desire to know how to enjoy joyful living, one factor you need to consider is your emotional and mental health.
No matter how much a person has in his/her bank account, that person cannot be joyful if he/she battles with their emotional and mental health. Being joyful is a state of inward peace, contentment, assurance and satisfaction, and only a person who is emotionally and mentally stable can enjoy this.
As a person, what you think about can in many ways affect you. It can either give you peace or cause you to worry endlessly. It is important that you learn how to pay attention to what you think. Sometimes, people often worry too much about everything in their lives that it makes them depressed. As a believer, you need to understand that God is in control of your life and for that, joy is a settled assurance that you have.
In order to enjoy joyful living in your emotional and mental health, here are certain things for you to understand:
- Joy is the fruit of the spirit:
In God’s presence, there is joy and fullness. You cannot be in His presence and be sad. - Joy is not triggered from the outside but from within:
The earlier you realize that events/happenings doesn’t guarantee you a joyful living, the better things become for you. You need to stop looking for joy in the things happening around you and look within. - The solution to depression is joy:
When you feel “down” or depressed, what do you do? In the presence of God, you can never be sad. Also, doing things that makes you feel mentally alert and excited is a medication for depression. When you are joyful, it makes it impossible for you to get depressed. - Know what you surround yourself with:
Many people fail to realize how much external events can trigger their mood/feeling. By all means, try to avoid negative people or thoughts. When you find yourself constantly in a place that breeds negativity, you put your emotional and mental health at risk. Always remember that your physical companion can affect your mental health. - Know what you believe in:
When you know that you have a God bigger than any challenge you face in life, it gives you confidence and makes it difficult for situations to overwhelm you and get you depressed. - Know yourself:
If you must enjoy joyful living, you need to know yourself and your identity. When you know yourself, you are able to speak into situations with confidence because you trust in yourself and abilities. - Know your Father:
A prince who knows his father is a king cannot beg or feel depressed because he doesn’t have money or food. When you come to the realization that you have a loving Father who cares, it gives you the reassurance that you are always covered; making you feel no worries and mentally relaxed. - Rejoice always:
You mustn’t rejoice only when you achieve certain milestones in your life. Even before you find the results you desire, it is good for your mental health that you are always full of joy in the Lord.
Nothing is productive in a person’s life when joy is cut off. Zero productivity in a person’s life can make that person depressed and possibly suicidal. From today, you need to learn to focus more on what goes inside you; the things you hear, see and feel. Also understand that negative thoughts and words can also bring you down for what you think and say can either lift or kill your spirit.