That’s in the Bible?

There was an article  today on Huffington Post called “10 Things to Give Up in Exchange for Happiness”.  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tamara-star/exchange-these-for-happiness_b_4073396.html I thought it was a pretty good list.  But then I started thinking, why do I agree with these 10 things?  I’d say a lot of them come from experience.  We live, we learn.  Many of these 10 points are things we all understand just from being human and living through some tough times.  We have learned from making mistakes and saying, “I’m not doing that again!”

But I sensed there was more.  Upon further review, I realized that all of these points, every single bit of advice given in the article, was also written in the Bible.  My go-to source of instruction.  My how-to-do-this-thing-called-life book.  It’s all there.

No wonder I felt like this list made sense.  No wonder I nodded my head in understanding…this is TRUTH.  From an author on the internet yes and from our own recognition of truth based on experience, but it’s Truth with a capital T because it comes from God’s Word.

Where do you turn for truth? How do you know if something is really true or if it’s more of an opinion based on feeling?  What is your source for truth?

Someone told me once that B-I-B-L-E stands for Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.  I like that but I feel like that makes it sound like we have to read it and follow it and then we might “get it right” before we die.  It’s not just something to figure out at a later date or in order to get to heaven.  God’s Word is about now.  It’s about making today better.

Here’s the list with a corresponding verse in the Bible.  What’s really cool is most of these topics are mentioned many times in the Bible.  All the things we are struggling with are not new.  They are just tough.  That’s why we need so many reminders.

1. Give up caring what other people think of you.

 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.  -Galatians 1:10

2. Give up trying to please everyone.

Ephesians 2:2 You let the world, which doesn’t know the first thing about living, tell you how to live.  

3. Give up participating in gossip.

Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

4. Quit worrying.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.  John 14:27

5. Let go of insecurity.

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? -Matthew 6:25-34

6. Stop taking everything personally.

7. Give up the past.

8. Give up spending money on what you don’t need in effort to buy happiness.

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.  -1Timothy 6:9-10

9. Give up anger.

 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.  –James 1:19,20

10. Give up control.

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.  -Proverbs 19:21

So there you have it.  Truth with a capital T.  Let’s live it people.  Let’s live it not just to be “happy” but to be all those things we get to be when we live in God’s Truth.  Like kind and peaceful and joyful and wise and compassionate and calm and strong and confident and courageous and victorious and free.  Yes, let’s be those things.

©2013 Sue Bidstrup, Great Big YES™ All Rights Reserved