10 Suggestions for Discovering True Joy

1. Serve someone else. 

Jesus said, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). He washed feet. He touched the untouchable.

He let His "schedule" be interrupted by needy people. He gave and gave; freely pouring out His life. And since "no servant is greater than his master," we face a high calling if we endeavor to follow His example of servanthood (John 13:15-16 NIV).

2. Practice being uncomfortable.

Breaking an addiction often means denying ourselves. Discipline yourself by forgoing something you crave or even take for granted. Walk instead of drive.

Welcome inconvenience for the sake of blessing others (and making God smile).

Stop to help someone who is homeless— or another needy person to whom the Holy Spirit directs you-realizing that your hands may be Jesus' hands for him or her.

3. Give away your stuff. 

Jesus warned us to "be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions" (Luke 12:15). There's more to life than things. Jesus wasn't speaking in metaphors when He said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35).

Giving away a cherished item to bless someone else will break any hold materialism or greed has on your heart. More than that, the act of generosity will bring true joy.

4. Take a Kingdom risk. 

Dare to take a "mission trip" by setting aside time to step beyond your comfort zone and serve others. In so doing, you will find yourself in a position where you have to rely on God. But you'll be trading the superficial comfort of feeling in charge of your life for an adventure that will change you. Even when dealing with culture shock or loneliness, you'll sense Jesus' presence like never before-and your faith in God's available strength will increase exponentially.

5. Step outside your comfort zone from moment to moment. Afraid to initiate prayer for a grieving friend? Do it anyway. Too bitter to forgive that family member? Make a choice to reach out, even though you don't feel like it. Whenever you step out to do what the Holy Spirit is challenging you to do, He stretches and grows your faith. If you settle for ease, your faith will atrophy-just consider what happens to your muscles when you're sedentary.

6. Live the American Dream in reVerse. Instead of constantly upgrading, enjoy what you already have. In lieu of a bigger, newer car, buy a used model that serves the same purposes; as long as your TV is working, use it with gratitude. And when you realize "stuff" is actually making life more complicated, eliminate that possession or simplify in some way. To top it off, you'll be saving enough to experience the unique joy of giving money away.

7. Practice contentment. Get in the habit of reminding yourself, I have enough. Go on a fast from Internet, magazines, and TV ads-refuse to click, read, and watch. You'll be surprised how high your contentment level will rise when you're not constantly bombarded with the command to buy this, buy that. Instead, investigate what kinds of poverty exist in your area (or beyond), and meet a legitimate need.

8. Study the Beatitudes. 

Next time you're longing for life to fit your personal idea of heaven, meditate on Jesus' words in Matthew 5. In His upside-down kingdom, the poor are rich and the persecuted are full of joy.

9. Get addicted to heaven. The reality of heaven-our real home should always be on our minds. It will keep this life in perspective, as Paul eloquently explains in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18: "Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is tem-porary, but what is unseen is eternal".

10. Rekindle your belief in God's sovereignty. He sees everything- every trial and perturbation sifts through His hands. The beauty of His sovereignty is that He helps us through each unhappy event, giving us strength when we're weak (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). Paul also tells us to "rejoice always" (1 Thessalonians 5:16). Always. Not just when things go our way, but even (and especially) when things don't. Practice praising God when things are amiss, and watch to see how He responds.