Part 7 (Your Best Life Now)

PART 7: CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY

 

CHAPTER 30
Happiness Is a Choice

 

 Having worked through the first six steps to living your best life now, you may be tempted to think that your best life is still a long way off. Actually nothing could be further from the truth. Your best life starts today! God wants you to enjoy your life right now. The seventh step to enjoying your best life now is to choose to be happy today! You don’t have to wait for everything to be perfectly straightened out in your family or with your business, or for all your problems to be solved. You don’t have to forgo happiness until you lose weight, break an unhealthy habit, or accomplish all your goals. No, God wants you to be happy right where you are, right now.

 

 Happiness is a choice. When you get up in the morning, you can choose to be happy and enjoy that day, or you can choose to be unhappy and go around with a sour attitude. It’s up to you. If you make the mistake of allowing your circumstances to dictate your happiness, then you risk missing out on God’s abundant life.
 You may be going through tough times, or you may have major obstacles in your path, all of which give you good reason to be unhappy or upset. But being unhappy won’t change anything for the better. Being negative and sour isn't going to improve anything either. You might as well choose to be happy and enjoy your life! When you do that, not only will you feel better, but your faith will cause God to show up and work wonders in your life. God knows that we have difficulties, struggles, and challenges. But it was never His intention for us to live one day “on cloud nine” and the next day down in the dumps, defeated and depressed because we have problems. 

God wants us to live consistently He wants us to enjoy every single day of our lives.

 

 To do so, you must stop fretting about the future. Quit worrying about how everything is going to turn out. Live one day at a time; better yet, make the most of this moment. It’s good to have a big-picture outlook, to set goals, to establish budgets and make plans, but if you’re always living in the future, you’re never really enjoying the present in the way God wants you to.
 When we focus too much on the future, we are often frustrated because we don’t know what’s coming. Naturally, the uncertainty increases our stress level and creates a sense of insecurity We need to understand, though, that God has given us the grace to live today He has not given us tomorrow’s grace. When we get to tomorrow, we’ll have the strength to make it through. God will give us what we need. But if we’re worried about tomorrow right now, we are bound to be frustrated and discouraged.

 

 You must learn to live one day at a time. By an act of your will, choose to start enjoying your life right now. Life is too short not to enjoy every single day Learn to enjoy your family, your friends, your health, your work; enjoy everything in your life. Happiness is a decision you make, not an emotion you feel. Certainly there are times in all of our lives when bad things happen, or things don’t turn out as we had hoped. But that's when we must make a decision that we’re going to be happy in spite of our circumstances.

 

Happiness is a decision you make, not an emotion you feel.

 

 Many people live in constant turmoil. They're always upset, always frustrated, always having some kind of major challenge that's keeping them from being happy They can’t sleep at night; they're too worried. They don’t like the people they work with. They get aggravated over the smallest things. When they have to sit in traffic or something doesn’t go their way, they get all bent out of shape and lose their cool.
 

 It’s extremely important that we know how to live a life of peace. If we5re going to do that, we need to be flexible and willing to make some adjustments. When things happen that would normally bother us, we have to put our foot down and say, “No, I'm not going to let that take my peace. I'm going to rule over my emotions. I’m not going to allow myself to get upset and aggravated. I'm going to choose to be happy”

 

It’s the Little Things

 

 Normally it’s not the big things in life that get us upset; often, the little things bug us the most. But if we don’t learn how to deal properly with the little things, they’ll end up turning into big things. Say you drive home from work after a long day at the office, and when you pull in to park your car, you see that your kids have left their toys in the driveway You have to stop, get out, and move the toys. You’re tired, it’s hot, and you get sweaty moving all that stuff. It’s a natural opportunity to get upset and frustrated. But you need to recognize what’s going on. That’s the enemy trying to steal your peace and ruin the evening with your family by getting you irritated over something relatively small in the grand scheme of life. You've got to make a decision that you’re not going to allow the matter to escalate; don’t allow yourself to get upset.
 “Joel, I can’t do that. Fm just a real high-strung person,” you may say  “I get upset easily” No—you can do whatever you want to do. God said He would never let us go through something that is too difficult for us to handle. If your desire is great enough, you can stay calm and cool no matter what comes against you in life.

 

 God gives us His peace on the inside, but it’s up to us to make use of that peace. Especially in the pressure points of life, we have to learn how to tap into God’s supernatural peace. The way you do that is by choosing to keep a good attitude. You’ve got to choose to stay happy

 

 One day Victoria took my car down to the car wash to have it cleaned for me. I have a white 1995 Lexus that formerly belonged to my dad. Even though the car is getting old, it hardly has a scratch on it so it looks much newer.
 On this day, Victoria drove it through our usual car wash—one of those with supposedly supersoft brushes that are hardly even supposed to touch the car. Unfortunately something was slightly out of alignment, because not only did it take the dirt off my car, it put a scratch from the front bumper all the way up the hood and over the roof to the back windshield!

 

 When Victoria got home, she stopped in the garage to survey the damage (I think she was secretly praying for a miracle!). Our son,
Jonathan, came out, and when he saw what had happened, he came running into my office to announce the news.

 

 It was a Saturday afternoon, and I had been studying and praying, getting my mind and heart prepared to speak at three services that weekend. I was trying to stay in a peaceful, calm, quiet atmosphere, but then came Jonathan! “Dadd” Daddy!” he called out. “You’re not going to believe what has happened. Mama has totally ruined your car!”
 “Jonathan, thank you for being so diplomatic,I said. “Next time, you can just hit me with a two-by-four!,”
 I was joking, of course, but I knew I had to make a decision. Was I going to get angry and allow this accident to steal my peace and my joy? Was I going to allow this circumstance to ruin my whole weekend? Or was I going to rule over my emotions and not allow myself to be upset and agitated? Was I going to keep my peace, knowing that God was still in control?

 

 I went out to the garage and when I saw the car, I had to admit, the scratch was awful. But I simply made the decision not to get upset; I was going to stay happy As I ran my fingers over the scratch from hood to trunk, I decided to look at the bright side. I said to Victoria, “Well, Fm the only guy in Houston that’s got a Lexus with a racing stripe right down the center."

 

 When negative things happen to us, no matter how much we rant and rave, it's not going to change anything. No matter how much we murmur and complain, it’s not going to make anything better. I knew no matter how depressed I got about that car, or how much I flew off the handle at the car-wash people, it wasn’t going to make that scratch go away I decided that I might as well keep my peace. I might as well stay happy

 

 The Bible says we are like a mist, a vapor; we’re here for a moment, then we’re gone. Life is flying by; so don’t waste another moment of your precious time being angry, unhappy, or worried. The psalmist said, “This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.” Notice, he didn’t say “Tomorrow, I will be happy” He didn’t say, “Next week, when I don't have so many problems, I’m going to rejoice.” No, he said, “This is the day” This is the day that God wants you to be happy
 “I’m just waiting on God to turn my situation around,” I hear someone saying. 

 That may sound good, but the truth is, God is waiting on you. If you’d change your attitude and start enjoying where you are right now, God would show up and begin to work in your life. If you’re always waiting for some event to make you happy you’re going to spend your whole lifetime waiting. Something will always be “not quite right” in your life. You will always find some reason not to be happy

 

 I’ve heard people say "As soon as I get married, I know I'm going to be happy then.” But friend, if you’re not happy before you get married, you are definitely not going to be happy after you get married. Women have said to me, “Joel, if you’ll just pray for me to find a man, I know Fll be happy” They come back a few months later and say, “Joel, if you’ll just pray for me to get rid of this man, I know I’ll be happy!”
 The marriage partner is not really the problem. No other person can ultimately make you happy You must learn how to be happy within yourself.
 Granted, you may have some problems; things in your life may not be perfect. Maybe you wish you were more handsome or more beautiful, more gifted and talented. You may wish you’d been born with a lot more in your favor. But you can't let those superficial things steal your happiness. You have to say, “God, I know You made me who I am on purpose. This is Your plan, and You have given me what I have to work with. I'm not going to complain or be negative. I’m not going to go through life wishing things were different, wishing I was somebody else. Father, Fm going to take what You’ve given me, and I’m going to make the most of it. I'm going to be happy with who You made me to be. I’m going to enjoy my life in spite of my shortcomings.

 

 Don’t take for granted what God has already given you. Have a grateful attitude. See the best in every person and in every situation and learn to be happy right where you are. Here5s the key: Bloom where you are planted. You may not be where you want to be in life today You may not have the perfect marriage. You may not have the perfect job. Life may not have turned out exactly like you’d hoped, but you must make a decision that you're going to make the most of that situation. Learn to be happy in spite of your circumstances.

 

Bloom Where You’re Planted

 

 I was walking in the woods one day when I came to a big, open field that was full of tall weeds. Everywhere I looked, all I could see were ugly brown, dried-up weeds. But when I went a little farther down the path, I noticed one beautiful flower standing in the midst of all the weeds. It was so colorful, so vivid and, amazingly it had blossomed right there in the midst of those drab, dreary weeds. I thought, That is exactly what God wants us to do, to bloom wherever we’re planted.

 

 You may live or work around a bunch of weeds, but don’t let that stop you from blooming. Realize that your environment does not prevent you from being happy Some people spend all their time trying to pull up all the weeds. Meanwhile, they miss much of their lives. Don’t worry about things you can't change. You can’t change the traffic in the morning. You can’t fix everybody at work. You can’t make all your family members serve God. But you shouldn't let that keep you from being happy Bloom anyway, and focus on the things that you can change. You can change your own attitude. You can choose to be happy right where you are.

 

Don’t worry about things you can’t change.

 

 Keep a good attitude and keep blossoming right where you are. If you’ll make the decision to stay faithful and be content, at the right time God will change those circumstances. He’ll get you out of those old weeds and put you in a better place. But if you refuse to bloom where you are, your progress will be stifled. God has planted us somewhere specifically so we might bear much fruit. And it’s not so important where we are. What matters is: Are we bearing good fruit? Are we letting our lights shine? Are we being good examples? Can people see the joy of the Lord radiating from our lives? If you will keep blooming right where you are, then you can rest assured in God’s perfect timing. He will transplant you. He’ll put you in some new soil so you can bear even more fruit. But if you’re not happy where you are, you will never get to where you want to be.

 

Appreciate Today

 

 Some people are convinced that life is simply a series of problems to be solved. The sooner they get through with this problem, the sooner they will be happy But the truth is, after you successfully make it through this problem, there will be another problem to face. And after you overcome that obstacle, there will be something else to overcome. There's always another mountain to climb. That’s why it is important to enjoy the journey, not just the destination. In this world, we will never arrive at a place where everything is perfect and we have no more challenges. As admirable as setting goals and reaching them may be, you can’t get so focused on accomplishing your goals that you make the mistake o£ not enjoying where you are right now.

 

 I’ve heard parents say, “Well, as soon as my children get out of diapers, Fm going to be happy” A few years go by, and they say, “As soon as they go off to school, I’ll have some free time. Then I’m going to be happy” A few more years go by “When the children graduate, things will slow down. That’s when Fm going to start enjoying my life.” Meanwhile, life passes by "As soon as I get that promotion, as soon as I close this big business deal, as soon as I retire. . No, you need to learn to enjoy your life now, every day, every part of life’s journey

 

 Big events will not keep you happy They may make you happy for a while, but after that wears off, like an addict looking for a fix, you’re going to need something else. Maybe you have allowed yourself to slip into the habit of waiting for everything to be calm, serene, and settled before you lighten up and grant yourself permission to enjoy life. You5re waiting for your problems to be solved. You’re waiting for your spouse to become more spiritual. You're waiting for that child to change, for the business to grow, or for the mortgage to be paid off.

 

 Why not be happy right now? Don’t go many years down the road and then realize, when it’s tragically too late, that one event or achievement, or even a series of them, did not bring you lasting happiness. Appreciate today Enjoy life’s journey
 These are the good old days. Twenty years from now, hopefully, you will look back and say, “That was a great time in my life!”
 You may be saying, “But I have so many problems. How can I enjoy my life?” You need to realize that every person has problems; you are not unique in that respect.

We all go through things at times that we don't understand. 

 Although you may think your problems are enormous, tragic, or devastating, somebody—possibly many people in the world—have it much worse than you do. Your life compared to somebody else’s is a bed of roses. Don’t ever take for granted what God has done for you. "You may have some obstacles today, but some people would give anything in the world to have your life. Some people would give anything to have your health or your prosperity Living in America, we have so much for which we should be grateful. We should stop emphasizing what’s wrong and start thanking God for what’s right.

 

 The apostle Paul wrote more than half of the New Testament while incarcerated, often in tiny prison cells not much bigger than a small bathroom. Some historians and Bible commentators believe that the sewage system of that day ran right through one of the dungeons in which he was imprisoned. Some commentaries state that it’s possible that he could have written some of the great passages of what we now know as the New Testament standing in raw sewage that at times came all the way up to his waist. Yet Paul wrote such amazing faith-filled words as, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.’’3 And, uThanks be to God, who always causes us to triumph," and “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!5,4 Notice, we are to rejoice and be happy at all times. In your difficulties, when things aren’t going your way, instead of having a pity party and thinking about how unfair life is treating you, instead of feeling sorry for yourself, make a decision to rejoice in the Lord. Choose to be happy! Choose to stay full of joy

 

 When you rejoice in the midst of your difficulties, you’re giving the enemy a black eye. He doesn’t know what to do with people who keep giving God praise despite their circumstances. Our attitude should be: I don't care what comes against me in life. I’m going to stay full of the joy of the Lord. I’ve made up my mind that I’m going to live my life and be happy. Tm going to enjoy my life to the fullest.
 We need to understand that the enemy is not really after your dreams, your health, or your finances. He’s not primarily after your family He’s after your joy The Bible says that “the joy of the LORD is your strength, and your enemy knows if he can deceive you into living down in the dumps and depressed, then you are not going to have the necessary strength—physically, emotionally, or spiritually——to withstand his attacks. You will be vulnerable and beatable.

 

Smile for Your Health

 

 It is a scientific fact that if you go through life in a negative frame of mind, always stressed out, worried, and full of fear, your immune system will weaken, making you more susceptible to sickness and disease. Scientists have discovered that every person develops cancerous cells in his or her body every week. But in the tremendous immune system God has given us, we have cells called the “natural killer cells.” These cells are designed specifically to attack and destroy abnormal cells. Studies have shown that fear, worry anxiety, stress, and other negative emotions actually weaken those natural killer cells. In other words, if you go through life uptight and stressed out, you will weaken your own immune system, making yourself more susceptible to sickness and disease.

 

 On the other hand, people who are happy and have a positive outlook, people who laugh on a regular basis, develop more of these natural killer cells than the average person. Think of it! When you stay full of joy, your immune system functions at its peak performance level, just as God intended. The Bible says, “A. merry heart does good like a medicine.” One translation says, “A cheerful mind works healing" and that Scripture continues to be confirmed by modern science.

 

One of the healthiest things you can do is learnto smile more often.

 

 One of the healthiest things you can do is learn to smile more often. When we smile, it sends a message to our whole bod' setting the tone for our lives. Studies tell us when we smile, certain chemicals are released that travel throughout our system, relaxing us and helping us stay healthy Whether you have a reason to smile or not, make up your mind that you are going to smile anyway

 

 I was in the front lobby at Lakewood Church one day when a little boy came up to me with a serious, troubled expression on his face. He looked me up and down, and then said, “I want to know something about you.”
“Okay” I responded. “What would you like to know?”
Without missing a beat, the boy replied, “I want to know why you smile so much.” He said it so sternly I almost got the impression that there was something wrong with smiling so much!
Nevertheless, I answered, “Well, I smile because Fm a happy person. Do you smile very often ?,

 

 The little boy thought about it, and said, “Only when I’m eating ice cream.” A lot of adults are similar to that little fellow. They only smile when everything in their lives is sweet and creamy But if they would lighten up, God might do a miracle in their lives.

 

 Learn how to laugh. Quit being so uptight and stressed out. A relaxed attitude will not only lengthen your life, it will make it much more enjoyable.

 

 That in itself is reason enough to quit complaining and start rejoicing. The more you thank God for what you have, the more He will give you what you don't yet have. Paul said, “I have learned how to be content no matter what my circumstances are.” The Amplified Bible says, “I have learned how to be content (satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted) in whatever state I am.’’7 Notice, Paul had to learn how to be content, just as he learned how to stay full of joy These responses did not happen automatically Paul had to make some decisions that resulted in contentment.

 

Be Content Where You Are

 

 Now, being content doesn't mean you should sit back, fatalistically accepting life’s problems or troubles; it doesn’t mean you should live life like a wandering generality, unmotivated and undisciplined. Nor does being content mean you lack passion or you are devoid of a drive and desire to want things to change for the better. No, being content simply means you trust God enough that you don’t get frustrated when things don’t go your way You don’t allow circumstances to steal your joy and keep you from being happy You can choose to stay happy and content no matter what comes against you in life. You can decide not to let little things get the best of you.

 

 If you are always discontented, something is wrong. If you get up each morning and you dread going to work, dread driving in the traffic, dread dealing with the boss, dread doing what you do all day, and dread coming home, either your attitude needs to change or you need to change your occupation!
 On the other hand, in most cases, God is not going to change your circumstances until you change. If you don’t learn to be content where you are, you're never going to get to where you want to be. 

 

 You may not have all the money you want today Things may be tight, and you may be struggling. But as long as you complain all the time, talking about how poorly life’s treating you and how you’re never going to get ahead, your sour attitude will keep you right where you are.
 You may not be everything you want to be. You may not have everything you want to have, but you must learn to be content, regardless of your circumstances. You must trust that God is at work in your life. You need to believe that you are making progress. You are growing. The Bible says God changes us little by little. Don’t be upset or discontented; know God is in control.

 

 The Bible says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.” If God is ordering your steps, that means where you are right now is exactly where God wants you to be.
 “Oh, Joel, that couldn’t be true,” you say “I’ve got too many problems. I’m too uncomfortable in this place. This can't be God’s plan for me.”

 

 God has you there for a reason. You may not understand it. He may be trying to do a work in you. He may be trying to teach you, to push you, to stretch you, to see how you're going to respond in that difficulty Or, God may have put you in that situation to be a part of the work He is doing in someone else5s life. God may be using you to influence other people. But whatever it is, you might as well choose to be happy, knowing that God is directing your steps and He has you there for a reason.

 

 Isn't it interesting, we believe that God is guiding us as long as we are getting what we want and we’re “living on the mountaintop,” relatively unscathed by the warp and woof of life in the valley below. But we need to understand that the Lord is directing our steps even when it seems things are not going our way You may be in a stressful situation today  "You may be living with a spouse or a child who is difficult to get along with. Or perhaps because of politics at the office, you are not being treated fairly, or possibly you are having to work two jobs in order to make ends meet. You may be thinking, This doesn’t seem right. God, 1 don’t understand it.

 

 The Scripture says, “Since the Lord is directing our steps, why try to figure out everything that happens along the way?’’ Friend, you are never going to understand everything you go through in life or why certain things come against you. 

You simply must learn to trust God anyway You must learn to keep a good attitude, knowing that God is in control.

 

 Back in the late 1990s, two former college basketball players—both twenty-seven years of age; one stood 6'7" and the other 6'5"—were headed to Kenya to work on a missions project. This was their first trip overseas, and they were extremely excited about it. They had prayed for many months, asking God to use their lives and asking that everything go smoothly on this trip.

 

 When the plane was about to land in London, the weather was too foggy forcing the plane into a holding pattern above Heathrow. After circling for a couple of hours, the two young men missed their connecting flight to Kenya. They were extremely disappointed as the next flight wasn’t for eight or nine hours. They were a bit irritated and said so. “God, we don’t understand this. We spent all that time praying for things to go smoothly The whole church was praying for us, but now we start off with a setback.”

 

 When it finally came time for the next flight to leave, there were no seats available except in first class. The airline seated the two big fellows right up at the front of the plane, with plenty of leg room, so they were happy about that. But about midway through that flight, the plane took a nosedive and started streaking toward the ground at full throttle. People aboard the plane were screaming as the flight attendants scrambled to keep the passengers from panicking. They thought for sure they were going to die.

 

 The young guys up front maintained their wits enough to pray: “God, it’s bad enough we missed our flight, but now we’re on this plane, and it’s about to crash. God, we really don’t understand this, but use our lives somehow.,
About that time, they heard some noise that sounded like a struggle in the cockpit. They looked at each other and said,   "We have nothing to lose. Let's find out what’s going on!” A flight attendant opened the cockpit door, and there was a deranged man—a big man who stood over 7' tall—attacking the pilots and trying to gain control of the plane. The two pilots, who were 5'4" and 5'7", were desperately trying to stop the madman, but they didn’t have a chance.
When the two basketball players saw what was happening, they wrestled the attacker to the ground and pulled

him out of the cockpit. 

 By the time they were able to subdue him, the plane had fallen all the way from 30,000 feet to less than 4,000 feet. Had the pilots not been able to regain control, within seconds the plane would have crashed, most likely killing everyone aboard and possibly people on the ground.
 

 Sometimes God will put you in an uncomfortable situation so you can help somebody else. God delayed those two young men on purpose. He put them in first class, right up front, so they could help save that entire plane. God knows what He’s doing. He can see the big picture; He can see the future. And He has you exactly where He wants you today Quit questioning Him and start trusting Him. Just know that God is in control. He has your best interests at heart. He's directing your steps.

Quit questioning [God] and start trusting Him.

 

 Your responsibility is to choose to be happy regardless of what comes your way You may work around somebody who gets on your nerves and annoys you. You may be thinking, God, I shouldn’t have to put up with this. I don’t understand this. Why don’t You get this person out of my life? But have you considered that God may have put you there on purpose to help do a work in that person’s life? Maybe you are exactly what that person needs. Maybe God is counting on you to be a positive influence, to speak a word of encouragement, to let your light shine so He can make a difference in that person and change his or her heart.

 

 Choose to be happy Choose to keep a good attitude. Remember, happiness is a choice you have to make. And even when you don't understand it, know that God is at work in you and He’s working through you. Make up your mind that from today forward, you are going to bloom where you are planted and enjoy every single day of your life.

 

CHAPTER 31
Being a Person of
Excellence and Integrity

 

 For many people, mediocrity is the norm; they want to do as little as they possibly can and still get by But God did not create us to be mediocre or average. He doesn't want us to just barely get by or to do what everybody else is doing. God has called us to be a cut above. He's called us to stand out in the crowd, to be people of excellence and integrity Indeed, the only way to be truly happy is to live with excellence and integrity Any hint of compromise will taint our greatest victories or our grandest achievements.
 What does it mean to be a person of excellence and integrity?
 A person of excellence and integrity goes the extra mile to do what’s right. He keeps his word even when it's difficult. People o£ excellence arrive at work on time. They give their employers a full day’s work; they don’t leave early or call in sick when they are not. When you have an excellent spirit, it shows up in the quality of your work, and the attitude with which you do it.

 

God doesn’t bless mediocrity. He blesses excellence.

 

 God doesn’t bless mediocrity He blesses excellence. The Scripture says, uWhatever you do, work at it with your whole heart, not unto men, but do it unto God knowing that God will reward you.”Notice, whatever we do, we should give it our best effort and do it as if we were doing it for God. If we’ll work with that standard in mind, God promises to reward us.
 If you want to live your best life now, start aiming for excellence and integrity in your life,
doing a little bit more than you are required to do. If you are supposed to be at work at eight o’clock, get there ten minutes early and stay ten minutes late. Go the extra mile. A lot of people show up at work fifteen minutes late, then they wander around the office, go get some coffee, and finally get to their desk or worksite thirty minutes later. They spend half the day talking on the phone, playing games, or sending jokes on the Internet, and then they wonder, God, why don’t You ever bless me? Why don’t I ever get a  promotion?
God doesn’t bless mediocrity God blesses excellence and integrity
 “But Joel, everybody’s doing it. Everybody gets to work late at my office. Everybody plays on the Internet when the boss is gone. Everybody takes extra-long lunch breaks.,

 

 Maybe so, but you are not like everybody else! You are called to live a life of excellence. You represent Almighty God. How you live, how you conduct your business or do your work, whether you5re on time or not, is all a reflection on our God.
 Start making the more excellent choices in every area of life, even the mundane. For instance, you may be driving a car that hasn’t been washed in six weeks. Your trunk or backseat may be filled with so much junk—everything from your sports equipment to your office equipment—you can barely close the door! I’m not condemning anybody—Victoria and I have children, too—-and sometimes our car looks like a storm hit it. But I don’t like driving a car like that. Not only does it represent God poorly, but it makes me feel unkempt, undisciplined, sloppy, and less than my best. Many times before I leave the house, I’ll take a couple of minutes and clean out the car, not because I want to impress my friends, but because I feel better driving a clean car. need to take pride in what God has given you.

 

You may say, “Well, Joel, Fm just driving an old clunker. No use in my washing this.”
 No, if you will start taking care o£ what God has given you, He’ll be more likely to give you something better. Similarly you may not live in a big, new, beautiful home. You may have an older, smaller home, but at least you can keep it looking nice. Make sure it looks like a person of excellence lives there.
 A while back, I was driving through a certain section of Houston and I noticed that many of the people didn’t take care of their homes.

 

 The yards weren’t mowed; the weeds were overgrown, and things were stacked and stored everywhere, on the side of the house, in the front yard, wherever space was available. The entire neighborhood looked messy As I continued driving, I came to one particular house that stood out among the rest. The yard was mowed, everything was neatly in order, and the home looked beautiful. When I got to the church, I commented about that house in that neighborhood. Somebody said, “The people who live in that house are some of our most faithful members.,”
 That didn’t surprise me a bit. God’s people are people of excellence. The people who live in that home could have said, “Nobody else is taking care of their property in this neighborhood, why should we?” But they chose to be people of excellence, and they stood out from the crowd.

 

 You may be in a situation today where everybody around you is compromising their integrity or taking the easy way out. Don’t let that rub off on you. Be the one to have an excellent spirit. Be the one to stand out in the crowd.
 Take care of what God has given you. My grandparents lived in a little wood-frame house that Granddaddy built way back in the 1930s. It couldn't have been more than a thousand square feet, but every time I went over there, the place was spotless inside and out. The yard was always immaculate. The bushes were perfectly trimmed. Granddaddy kept the outside of that house painted, and Grandmother kept the inside neat and clean. My grandparents didn’t have a lot o£ money, but that didn’t matter. They were people of excellence. They knew they represented God, and they were intent on being a positive reflection.

 

 The same should be true of us. You are made in the image of Almighty God, and how you present yourself in your personal appearance is not only a reflection of how you feel about yourself, it is a direct reflection on God. When you put on a fresh, clean outfit, you511 go out feeling confident. On the other hand, if you leave the house looking sloppy and wearing dirty, disheveled clothing, you’re not going to feel good about yourself.

 

 One day Victoria asked me to run to the grocery store and pick up something so she could finish making dinner. I had just finished working out, and I was hot and sweaty I was wearing an old T-shirt, and my hair was all messed up. But I didn’t really feel like changing clothes.
I thought, Okay, I’ll run up to the grocery store and try to get in and out of there quickly, so hopefully nobody will see me. I drove to the store, still in my workout clothes. I pulled in the parking lot and was about to hop out of the car when God spoke to me. I mean, if God has ever spoken to me, He spoke to me right there! Right down inside, I'm sure He said, “Don’t you dare go in there representing Me like that!” He said, “Don't you know that I'm the King of kings?”
 I turned around, went back home, took a shower, combed my hair, brushed my teeth, and put on some clean clothes. Then I went back to that grocery store and picked up that TV dinner Victoria wanted!
 Seriously, we need to remind ourselves that we represent Almighty God, and He does not appreciate laziness or sloppiness. When you go to the mall, and you accidentally knock those clothes off the rack, don’t act as though you don’t see them and just leave them lying on the floor. A person of excellence will pick them up and put them back on the appropriate rack. When you’re at the grocery store and you suddenly decide you don't want that box of cereal, don’t just stick it over by the potato chips. A person of excellence takes it back to where she found it.
 “But Joel, those stores have employees who are paid to do those things” I hear somebody saying. That doesn’t matter. You do what is right, as unto God.
 A person of excellence doesn5t park in a parking spot designated for handicapped persons, just so he can run in and pick up something real quick. People of excellence go the extra mile to do what’s right, not because somebody’s watching them, not because they have to, but because they are honoring God.
 People of excellence take care of other people’s property as if it’s their own. If you are in a hotel room, don't set a glass of water on that wooden table when you know it will stain. You wouldn’t do that at your own house. Be a person of excellence and respect other people’s property When I used to travel a lot, many times I’d leave the hotel room with all the lights on, the air conditioner going full blast, and the television blaring. I thought, No big deal. I’m paying for this room. I can do what I want. But something inside said, Joel, that’s not right. You don't waste electricity at your home. You should treat other people’s property the same way you’d want them to treat yours.
Understand, neglecting those little things will not keep you out of heaven; in most cases, it won't even cause you serious problems or make you miserable in this life. But those subtle compromises of integrity will keep you from God’s best. They will prevent you from ascending to your highest level. They will keep you from living your best life now. God desires people who will go the extra mile to do what is right even when nobody is watching.

 

Subtle compromises of integrity
will keep you from God’s best.

 

People Are Watching You

 

 I was in a store parking lot one windy day, and when I opened my car door, the wind blew out several pieces of paper onto the ground. I didn’t really need the papers, but I didn't want to litter, either. Each time I went to pick them up, a gust of wind blew them about fifteen or twenty feet in all different directions. I thought, Now, 1 don’t want to go chasing around the parking lot all day, trying to pick up that paper! I glanced at the lot and noticed there was already plenty of other trash out there. I was in kind of a hurry, too. I came up with several good excuses why I shouldn5t waste any more time chasing kites. I had almost talked myself out of retrieving the trash when I decided, No, I will do the right thing and go pick that stuff up.

 

 I wandered around that parking lot pursuing my papers. Every time the wind kicked up, the paper flew even farther. I was saying to myself, “What in the world are you doing out here? Just leave it. The store probably has a street sweeper that comes by every night!”
 But I kept collecting papers until I felt certain I had all that had flown from my car—and several that had flown from other people’s cars! When I finally got it all gathered up, I came back to my car. I hadn’t realized it, but there was a couple sitting in the car parked next to mine. They rolled down their windows when they recognized me. We talked there for a couple of seconds. Then the young woman smiled and said, “We were watching to see what you were going to do about all those papers that flew out of your car.”
I thought, Thank You, God, that I obeyed and did the right thing!
 Whether you realize it or not, people are watching you.

They'rewatching how you dress, how you take care of your home, how you treat other people. 

 They’re watching you at work. What do they see? Are you a good representation of our God? Are you striving for excellence? Or are you compromising in so-called insignificant areas?

 

 God wants us to be people of integrity, people of honor, people who are trustworthy A person of integrity is open and honest He doesn’t have any hidden agendas or ulterior motives. A person of integrity is true to his word. He keeps his commitments. He doesn’t need a legal contract; his word is his bond. People of integrity are the same in private as they are in public. They don’t go out and treat their friends and coworkers kindly and then go home and treat their family rudely or disrespectfully No, when you have integrity, you’ll do what’s right whether anybody is watching or not.
 Every day our integrity is tested. If the bank teller gives you too much money in return, are you going to have integrity and go back and make things right? Or are you going to go out of there saying, “Thank You, Jesus! You did it again!”
 

 Do you call in sick at work so you can stay home and take care of your personal business? When the phone rings and it’s somebody you don’t want to talk to, do you tell your child to lie? “Tell them Fm not home!”
 “Oh, Joel, that’s just a little white lie,” some people say “It’s not hurting anything.” No, lies are not color coded in the Bible. In God’s sight, there is no such thing as a white, gray, or black lie. A lie is a lie. If you5re not telling the truth, that's being dishonest. Sooner or later, it will catch up to you. What you sow you will eventually reap.

 

 Understand this: If you will lie about the little things, before long you’ll lie about bigger things. We read about the large companies that have come tumbling down because of fraud and financial misdeeds. Those people didn’t start off by stealing millions of dollars. Most likely, they started off compromising a hundred dollars here, a thousand dollars there. Then, when the opportunity came, they compromised in millions. Don’t kid yourself, if you will compromise in something small, eventually you will compromise in more serious matters. Compromise is a downhill slide. And theft is theft, whether it’s a dollar, a thousand dollars, or a million dollars. If you’re taking home your company’s office supplies, that’s being dishonest. If you’re not giving your company a full day’s work, that’s not integrity If you’re having to stretch the truth in order to get that new account, that is deceit, and God won’t bless that. We need to live honestly before our God and before other people. I heard somebody put it this way: “Don't do anything that you wouldn’t feel comfortable reading about in the newspaper the next day”

 

 When I go to the video store, if I have to hide from someone the movie I am renting, then something is wrong. If my credit report were to be made public todays would I be embarrassed because I never pay my bills on time? If my coworkers were interviewed on television, would they say I’m a person of honor, somebody they can count on, somebody they can trust? Or would they say, “That guy will stab you in the back every time. He’s only out for himself”?

 

 God wants us to be people of excellence and integrity If you don’t have integrity, you will never reach your highest potential. Integrity is the foundation on which a truly successful life is built. Every time you compromise, every time you are less than honest, you are causing a slight crack in your foundation. If you continue compromising, that foundation will never be able to hold what God wants to build. You'll never have lasting prosperity if you don’t first have integrity Oh, you may enjoy some temporary success, but you'll never see the fullness of God’s favor if you don't take the high road and make the more excellent choices. On the other hand, God’s blessings will overtake us if we settle for nothing less than living with integrity

 

Are we willing to pay the price to do the right thing?

 

 Of course, we all want to prosper in life. But the real question is: Are we willing to pay the price to do the right thing? It’s not always easy Are we paying our honest debts? Are we being aboveboard in our business decisions? Are we treating other people with respect and honor? Are we being true to our word? Integrity and prosperity are flip sides of the same coin. You can’t have one without the other.
 God may be reminding you about paying a bill that you've swept under the rug. Maybe it’s about getting to work on time consistently; maybe you know you should be more truthful in that business deal. Start making things right. Step up to a higher level of integrity in those areas. God is calling us out of mediocrity and into excellence.

 

 The Bible says if we will be faithful in little things, then God will trust us with more. How can God trust me to do the right thing with millions of dollars, if I won't do the right thing with a hundred bucks? Yet too many people are letting the little things keep them from moving higher.
 You may not think it makes any difference when you don’t pay your bills on time, or when you tell those “little white lies.” You may think it doesn’t make a difference if you treat your friends one way and your family another. But if you don’t learn to pass those little tests, then God won’t promote you. If you don5t learn to do what’s right in the little areas, God can't trust you with more. Remember, our lives are an open book before God. He looks at our hearts. He looks at our motives. God sees every time you go the extra mile to do what’s right. He also sees the times that you compromise and take the easy way out.

 

 I heard about a guy who left early from work one day to go to his grandmother’s funeral. The next morning at work, his boss came up and said, “Do you believe in life after death?”
The employee looked puzzled and finally said, “Well, yes; I do.”
The boss said, “Boy, that makes me feel a whole lot better.” “Why? What are you talking about?”
The boss said, “Well, yesterday after you left to attend your grandmother^ funeral, she stopped by to visit you.”
That is the opposite of integrity! Be open and honest and tell the whole truth. If you want to take your child out of school one day to go to a ball game, don’t write the teacher a note the next day and say "Please excuse little Johnny from school. He just wasn’t feeling well.” God can’t bless that.
“But Joel, he might get in trouble?”

 

 I would rather get in trouble with men than get in trouble with God. Besides, you never really lose if you take the high road. Learn to listen to your conscience. God put that inside you so you would have an inner rule by which to know right from wrong. When you start to compromise, you will hear that alarm go off in your conscience. Don’t ignore it. Do what you know in your heart is the right thing.

 

 Moreover, a person of integrity says what he means and means what he says. People should not have to try to figure out what you really meant. Be straightforward in your statements and conversations.
Integrity is more than not telling a lie. A person of integrity will not deceive or mislead in any way Often it5s easy to tell part of the truth while conveniently leaving out something we know might have a negative impact. That is not speaking with integrity We need to be open and honest even when it’s difficult.
 

 Say you are trying to sell your automobile. A man approaches with his checkbook in hand. He5s excited; he likes your car; he’s ready to sign on the dotted line. But then he looks at you and says, “Let me ask you one last question: Have you ever wrecked this car?”
 

 Like a computer hard drive, your mind whirrs through the possible answers. Although you have never wrecked it, your wife, child, and mother-in-law have all had major accidents in the car. You start to reason it all out, thinking, Well. . . technically, the man asked if I have ever wrecked it. . . . So you look at him and smile. “No, I've never wrecked this car.”
 If you listen carefully, you will hear a resounding alarm going off in your conscience. And if you are a person of integrity you will say, “But yes, the car has been wrecked?

 

 A person of integrity will tell the whole truth. “But Joel,” I hear you protesting. “That's just not the way business is done nowadays. If I tell the man the truth, he may not buy the car. I may lose this sale.”
 Yes, you may lose a few sales in the short term, but in the long term, you will fare much better. Even if that person doesn’t buy what you are selling, because you responded in integrity, God will make it up to you. He will send somebody along to buy the car for more money He5ll give you a promotion at work. He’ll help you get a better deal on that new car you5re trying to buy Friend, God is in charge of the whole universe. If you will honor Him by walking in integrity, He will make sure that you are blessed in abundance. Scripture says, “God holds victory for the upright and He guards those who walk in integrity,，2 If you want God to guard you, if you want God to bring victory into your life, you must make a decision that you are going to be a person of integrity

 

 A businessman worried, “If I told the whole truth, I5d lose some of my best customers. I may lose some of my biggest clients.
 “No,” I said. "If you will consistently do what is right, even if you do lose some customers, God will bring you bigger and better clients.
There’s no limit to what God will do in your life when He knows that He can trust you.”

 

 “I know people at my workplace, and they lie, they cheat, they stab people in the back,” said a young woman working for a stock brokerage. “It’s not hurting them one bit. In fact, they’re getting way ahead of me.”
“Don’t be deceived,” I replied. “One day that is going to catch up with them. I promise you this: If you’ll make a commitment to integrity, in the long run you’ll go further, you’ll be happier, you'll be more fulfilled. God will promote you. He holds victory in store for you when you walk uprightly When you refuse to compromise, He is guarding your path. If you just sink down to their level and do what everybody else is doing, stabbing people in the back, cutting corners here and there, you may think you’re gaining, but in the end you’ll be the one to suffer. In the end you’ll be the one to lose out.”

 

Commit to Excellence

 

 I heard a story about a wealthy man whose friend was a builder. This builder was down on his luck and hadn’t had much work lately, so the wealthy man felt sorry for him and decided to help him ouL He gave him a set of plans and a check for $300,000. He said, “I want you to build me a new home. I don’t have time to bother with it. Fm turning it all over to you. You make all the decisions. I trust you. If you do a good job, I promise to pay you well.”

 

 This builder was so excited. He could finally start making some money But he got to thinking, If I cut a few corners here and there, maybe I could pocket some of that $300,000. So he went out and bought the cheapest concrete he could find. He had the cement mixer water it down so it would stretch further. He saved four or five thousand dollars right there. Excited, he went out and found the cheapest lumber he could find. Some of it was bent and warped and crooked. He didn’t care. It was going to be hidden behind the walls. Nobody would ever see k. He did the same thing with the plumbing, the electrical work, and so on, cutting corners and saving money When the house was completed, he had saved nearly $40,000, which he discreetly deposited in his own bank account.
He called his wealthy friend to come take a look at the house. The purchaser was quite impressed. 

On the surface, the home looked beautiful. He never guessed that the builder had cut corners, compromising the integrityof the whole house.

 

 The builder was ecstatic as he noted the pleased expression on the owner’s face. He couldn’t wait to see how much he was going to get paid. After all, he knew the owner was a very generous man.
 As the wealthy man walked to the front door, he turned with a twinkle in his eye and said to the builder, “You know, I don’t really need this home. I already have a beautiful home. I was just trying to help you out and do you a favor.” He handed the builder the keys, and said, “Here, my friend. This is for you. Ybu’ve just built yourself a brand-new home.”
 That builder nearly passed out. He thought, If 1 had known it was going to be my own home, I would have built it a whole lot better!

 

 The truth is, whether we realize it or not, we all are building our own homes. We may cut corners here and there, but it’s not hurting anybody except ourselves. Those poor decisions will weaken our foundations, causing us all kinds of problems in the future. Everything may look fine on the surface, but what really counts is what’s going on within the walls, behind closed doors. What do we do when nobody is watching? Are we watering down our foundations because of a lack of integrity? Are we cheating people here and not paying taxes over there, compromising right and left? What kind o£ materials are we putting into our own homes?

 

Whether we realize it or not,

we all are building our own homes.

 

 This builder got into his new house and three months later, he was having foundation problems. Six months after that, cracks appeared in the walls. The plumbing wouldn’t work right. It cost him far more than the $40,000 he’d “saved” to fix all those problems. If he had it to do over again, he would do it right the first time.
 In the same way, when we compromise to get ahead or sully someone else’s reputation so we can be promoted, we may think we’re gaining, but in the end it will bring nothing but problems. We’ll suffer dire consequences. We have to live in our own homes.I can’t build your home; you can’t build mine. 

 No, we each have to take responsibility for our own decisions. I don't know what you do behind closed doors. You don’t know what I do. But as people of integrity, we should have the same character in private as we do in public. We don’t put on our Sunday face in church and then go out and compromise all during the week. It’s not enough to talk the talk. We’ve got to walk the walk.

 

 You may be tempted at work to make a personal long-distance call on your company’s phone lines. “Aw, go ahead,” a coworker says. ''Everybody does it. Nobody’s going to see you. Nobody will know whether it was a business call or not."
 No, a person of excellence and integrity does what is right, even when nobody is watching. People of excellence do what’s right because it is right, not because somebody is forcing them to do it. Friend, there are a lot of things you can get away with in life and still be acceptable in society’s eyes. You can compromise your personal integrity or that of your company; you can cheat people or be dishonest. You can lie, steal, compromise your morals, and you can cut corners here and there. But the question is: How high do you want to go? How much of God’s favor do you want to see? How much do you want God to use you? God cannot promote you or bless you if you are not living in integrity.

 

 A few years ago a friend of mine was in the process of changing jobs. He was an executive, and he landed a great position at a new company He was excited about the new job, but it wasn’t scheduled to start for three or four months.  When he gave his company notice, they agreed that he should work right up until that new job started.
 

 My friend was a hard worker, diligent and very intelligent. He always gave the job his best. Nevertheless, during that three-month period, while things were winding down at his former place of employment, I expected that he'd sort of kick back and take it easy maybe go in late, maybe take some time off. After all, he wasn't trying to impress anybody there.

 

 But he did just the opposite. He went in earlier than ever and stayed later. He started new projects; he gave it his best effort. I was really impressed. One day I was talking to him about it, and I said, “You’re working harder than ever. How come?”
 He said, “Joel, I was planning on taking it easy till my new job began, but one day I went to work feeling kind of lazy, giving a halfhearted effort, and God spoke to me right down inside.

 He said, 'Son, if you don’t continue to honor this company by giving them your best effort, you’re not going to excel at that new position/ When I heard that, I knew I had to give it everything I’ve got.”

 

 My friend realized who his real Boss is. He was not working for the company or for his supervisor, he was working unto God, not unto men. God is the One keeping the records. He’s the One who will reward us. He’s the One who can promote you. We shouldn’t act nobly simply because somebody is watching us. We should do what’s right because God is watching us. Do what’s right because you are a person of excellence and integrity

 

 If you’ve made some mistakes in ethical matters, do the honorable thing and make it right as best you can. If you will be committed to excellence, God will help you to get out of that mess. But He’s not going to help you if you won’t walk in integrity.
 My dad was a person of excellence and a man o£ integrity When he was in his early twenties, he once bought two suits on credit. But he moved away and never paid them off. Year after year went by, and he’d forgotten all about it. One day he was praying, and God brought that unpaid bill up in his spirit and reminded him about those two suits. Daddy felt so badly; he decided to do his best to make it right. This was some thirty or forty years after the fact, but he called Fort Worth and tried to contact the place where he had bought those suits. It was no longer in business, but that didn't stop Daddy He asked the company next door if they knew the name of the man who had owned the business. They gave him the man’s name, but, they said, “he died a number of years ago.” Daddy didn’t give up. He dug in the phone book, made call after call trying to track down some of that man’s relatives. He finally got in touch with one of the man5s sons, and Daddy sent him a check for several thousand dollars, not just for the two suits, but he included interest as well. Why did he do it? Because Daddy was a person of excellence and integrity He honored God by keeping his word.

 

 When you make a commitment to excellence and integrity, God will reward you. When you are committed to doing what’s right, you are
sowing seeds for God's blessings. You will never go wrong by taking the high road and doing more than is required.

 

 A few years before my dad went to be with the Lord, we decided that we were going to remodel the platform area at Lakewood Church. At the time, I was working behind the scenes in the television production department. I'm a perfectionist, so I wanted the new set to look the best that it possibly could. We worked several months with the architects and the designers, and after they got it all drawn up, I had a mock-up made of everything. I wanted to see it through the camera before we built anything permanently We brought up a big sphere and positioned it at the right height where eventually we constructed a large revolving globe. Then we had the designers position the mock-up of the podium, and we brought my dad in and sized it just for him, fine-tuning every detail. When we got it all built, we spent several weeks working on the lighting. Victoria used to ask me, “Joel, why are you spending hours and hours adjusting one little light, maybe just one little slash of color across the curtain?”
 “Because I want it to be right,” I'd reply I was committed to doing the best I could do. I was committed to excellence. Little did I realize that one day I would be the one standing on that same platform, behind that same podium. I didn’t realize it then, but I was building my own house. Looking back, I’m glad I put forth the extra effort. I’m glad I gave it everything I had.

 

 Have that same commitment to excellence. Start doing what you know in your heart is the better thing. Don’t settle for mediocrity Don5t just do what you have to do to get by Be a person who goes the extra mile. Be a person who does a little bit more than he has to do. Remember, you and I are representing Almighty God. Let’s be done with lazy, mediocre, sloppy living, and let's move up to higher levels. If you will live with a commitment to excellence and integrity happiness will be a natural by-product, because God will reward you far beyond your grandest dreams!

 

CHAPTER 32
Living with Enthusiasm

 

 A woman shopping in Houston happily hummed a tune as she collected the items she wished to purchase and approached the cashier to pay The clerk, noticing the shopper’s effervescent personality, just stared at the shopper for a long moment as though she was wondering what was wrong with her. Still eying her somewhat curiously, the clerk finally offered an obligatory “How are you doing today?”
 That’s all it took. The enthusiastic woman nearly bubbled over. “How nice of you to ask! Fm doing great. I am so blessed. I'm excited about this day!”
The clerk looked at the woman quizzically for a moment, and then said, “Let me ask you a question. Do you go to Lakewood?”
"Why, yes I do", the shopper said. “How did you guess?”
The clerk shook her head and smiled. “I should have known. Everybody that comes in here like you is from Lakewood.,5

 

God’s people should be the happiest people on earth!

 

 When I first heard that story, I chuckled, but then I thought, What 汉 great compliment! That’s the way it should be. God’s people should be the happiest people on earth! So happy, in fact, that other people notice. Why? Because we not only have a fabulous future, we can enjoy life today! That’s what living your best life now is all about.

 

Live with Enthusiasm

 

 Living your best life now is living with enthusiasm and being excited about the life God has given you. It is believing for more good things in the days ahead, but it is also living in the moment and enjoying it to the hilt!
 Let’s not be naive. The pressures of modern life constantly threaten to take a toll on our enthusiasm, causing it to quickly evaporate if it is not continually replenished. You probably know some people who have lost their passion. They've lost their zest for life. Once they were excited about the future. They were excited about their dreams, but they've lost their fire.

 

 Perhaps even in your own life you’ve seen evidence of dwindling enthusiasm. Maybe at one time you were excited about your marriage. You were deeply in love, so full of passion, but now your marriage has become stale and stagnant. Or maybe you were excited about your job. You loved going to work, but recently, it’s become dull, routine, and boring. Maybe at one time you were excited about serving God. You couldn’t wait to get to church. You loved reading your Bible, praying, and spending time with fellow believers. But lately you’ve been thinking, I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I don’t have any drive. I don’t have any passion. I’m just going through the motions.

 

 The truth is, much of life is routine, and we can become stagnant if we’re not careful. We need to stir ourselves up, to replenish our supply of God’s good gifts on a daily basis. Like the Israeli people in the wilderness who had to gather God’s miraculous provisions of manna afresh each morning, we, too, cannot get by on yesterday’s supply We need fresh enthusiasm each day The word enthusiasm derives from two Greek words, en theos, meaning "inspired by God,” Our lives need to be inspired, infused, filled afresh with God’s goodness every day

 

 Make a decision that you are not going to live another day without the joy of the Lord in your life; without love, peace, and passion; without being excited about your life. And understand that you don’t have to have something extraordinary happening in your life to be excited. You may not live in the perfect environment or have the perfect job or the perfect marriage, but you can still choose to live each day with enthusiasm. The Scripture says, “Never lag in zeal, but be aglow and on fire, serving the Lord enthusiastically”1 Do those terms describe your
life? Are you aglow with God's presence in your life? Are you on fire with enthusiasm? You can be! When you awaken in the morning, do you get up with passion to meet the day? Are you excited about your dreams? Do you go to work each day with enthusiasm?
 “Well, I don’t really like my job,” Darlene complains. “I can’t stand driving in the traffic. I don’t like the people I work around.”

 

 If that sounds familiar, you need to change your attitude. You should be grateful that you even have a job. You need to appreciate and stay excited about the opportunities God has given you. Wherever you are in life, make the most of it and be the best that you can be. If your assignment right now is to raise your children, do it with passion. Do it with enthusiasm. Don't get up and say, “Humph! My friends are out doing something significant, something important, something exciting. All Fm doing is taking care of these kids.”

 

 A mother’s work is one of the most important jobs in the whole world. But you have to keep up your enthusiasm. You may not have somebody patting you on the back or cheering you on. Your day may not be filled with extraordinary events. There are diapers to change, children to feed, clothes to be washed and pressed, housework that needs to be done; routine, mundane chores that seem to start over the moment you complete them. But in the midst of the ordinary you can choose to have an extraordinary attitude toward your work. The Scripture tells us to do everything we do with our whole hearts, “to never lag in zeal.”

 

 If you work outside the home, don’t give your employer a halfhearted effort. Don’t dawdle on the telephone, wasting your employer" time and money If you are digging a ditch, don’t spend half the day leaning on your shovel; do your work with excellence and enthusiasm!
“Well, they don't pay me enough, anyway I shouldn’t have to work very hard.”
You won't be blessed, with that kind of attitude. God wants you to give it everything you’ve got. Be enthusiastic. Set an example.
 We should be so excited, and so full of joy that other people will want what we have. Ask yourself, “Is the way I’m living attractive and contagious? Will my attitudes, the words I speak, my expressions, the way I handle challenges and setbacks, cause anybody to want what I have?” In other words, are you drawing people to God, because of your
joy, your friendliness, your enthusiasm, your attitude of faith? 

 Or do you alienate people, turning them away because you’re perpetually negative, discouraged, caustic, or cynical? Nobody enjoys being around a person like that. If you want to point people to God, or simply to a better way of living, have some enthusiasm and be excited about life.

 

 I love the fictitious story of Tom Sawyer. As a young boy, Tom was told he had to go outside and paint the fence. Well, Tom didn't feel like working; he wanted to go play with his friends. But instead of getting all negative and sour, he decided he was going to make the best of that situation. He went out and started painting that fence with enthusiasm and excitement, as though he were enjoying it. His friends came around, and when they saw how much fun Tom was having, they became envious of him. They said, “Hey, Tom! Would you let us try painting that fence?”
“Oh, no,” Tom said. “This is my fence. This is my project You could never do what I’m doing.” He played it up real big. And you know the story When it was all said and done, Tom Sawyer was sitting back watching his friends do all the work, simply because he approached his chore with excitement and enthusiasm.
 

Who knows what would happen if each of us lived with more excitement in our eyes, with our hearts full of passion, our faces filled with enthusiasm? Instead of dragging around, complaining that you don't want to mow the lawn, put a smile on your face, a spring in your step, start acting as if you5re enjoying it. Maybe somebody will come along to help! If not, at least you will feel better about your work, have more energy and you will get the job done quicker. You will be amazed at how God will pour out His favor, and how the “breaks” will start coming your way, when you start living with enthusiasm. Employers prefer employees who are excited about working at their companies. Your boss is much more likely to give you a raise in pay or a promotion if you have a good attitude and are excited about working, than if you just show up and do your work in a perfunctory manner. In fact, studies show that enthusiastic people often get promoted over other employees who are actually more qualified. The upbeat person is promoted simply because he or she has a good attitude.

 

Other People Will Notice

 

 Hundreds of people work with us at Lakewood, but regardless of how talented or skilled a person may be, we don’t hire anybody who’s not excited about our organization. We don't hire a person who doesn’t believe in what we are doing. Moreover, we don't encourage employees to remain on our staff  if they don’t think Lakewood is the greatest place in the world to work. We want only enthusiastic coworkers.

 

 For several years, I noticed Jackie sitting down front at Lakewood Church, week after week. She was always excited about the service, attentive to what was going on, participating with tremendous enthusiasm, and radiating joy from her very demeanor and countenance. I didn’t know who she was, but she always looked like she was having the time of her life. When we sang, she would sing with her whole heart. When Fd be bringing a message, I’d look out at the audience, and Jackie would always have a smile on her face. She’d be nodding her head, as though she was encouraging me, “Come on, Joel. Tell me more. You’re doing a good job.”
 When a staff position became available in our Women’s Ministry, the first thing I said was, “Somebody go find that lady who sits down front. There’s nobody I would rather have represent us than somebody like her!”

 

 We hired Jackie, and she continues to inspire and encourage people. That door of opportunity opened for her simply because she was enthusiastic. She was excited. When you live with passion and are excited about your dreams, other people will notice. It may not even be your own employer who promotes you, but somebody else will notice your positive attitude and will offer you a position that you weren't expecting. All kinds of advantages and opportunities will come your way if you’ll simply do everything you do with enthusiasm, with your whole heart.

 

 Growing up, I was fascinated by a traffic policeman who worked over by the Galleria, one of the busy shopping areas in Houston. He directed traffic at one of the busiest intersections in that part of town. During rush hour, the traffic would be so badly backed up, it was not uncommon to have to wait ten or fifteen minutes just to get through that one light. Observing people in their cars, it was plain to see that they were irritated about having to wait so long. But when they approached the policeman, their whole attitude changed.
 This officer didn’t simply direct traffic. He put on a show! He was so enthusiastic, just watching him was entertaining. It was obvious that he loved what he was doing. He was practically dancing as he directed that traffic, with both arms waving wildly his hands gesturing, his feet shuffling all through the intersection. He could direct the traffic and moonwalk at the same time!

 

 Amazingly, after inching along in the traffic jam for ten or fifteen minutes, many drivers would pull over into nearby parking lots just to watch the traffic officer perform. He was enthusiastic. He wasn’t just showing up for work. He wasn't just going through the motions. No, he was passionately fulfilling his destiny

 

Don’t just go through the motions in life.

Have some enthusiasm.

 

 That’s the way you and I should be. Don’t just go through the motions in life. Have some enthusiasm. Choose to be happy; live with excellence and integrity, and put a spring in your step. Put a smile on your face. Moonwalk if you want, and let the world know that you are enjoying the life God has given you!

 

 Friend, if you want to see God's favor, do everything with your whole heart. Do it with passion and some fire. Not only will you feel better, but that fire will spread, and soon other people will want what you have. Do you want your life to make an impact? You can change the atmosphere of your home or your entire office with a little bit of enthusiasm. Don’t live another day defeated and depressed. Stir yourself up; rekindle that fire.
 In the New Testament, the apostle Paul encouraged his young coworker Timothy: “Fan the flame. Rekindle the embers. Stir up the gift that is within you.’’ Paul was reminding his understudy to live with enthusiasm. Give it your all. Don5t settle for mediocrity

 

 You may have to live or work around people who are prone to being negative, who tend to drag you down. But don’t let them throw water on your fire. Don’t let their lack o£ enthusiasm squelch your passion. If you live with a deadbeat spouse, make a decision that you’re going to be happy and enthusiastic anyway If you work around people who are always negative, try to overcome that negativity by being positive,
encouraging, and uplifting. Fan your flame more than usual to make sure the fire doesn't go out.

 

 When everybody else is down and defeated, when you are all alone with nobody nearby to encourage you, simply encourage yourself. Your attitude should be: It doesn't matter what anybody else does or doesn’t do, I’m going to live my life with enthusiasm! I’m going to stay on fire. I’m going to be aglow. I’m going to be passionate about seeing my dreams come to pass.

 

 People who see me on television sometimes write to me, saying, “Joel, why do you always smile so much? Why are you so happy? Why are you so enthusiastic?”
 “I’m glad you asked!551 respond, and that opens the door for me to tell them about my relationship with God, and how they can have a relationship with Him as well.

 

 Some guy stopped me on the streets in New York City and said, “Hey, aren't you that smiling preacher?”
 I laughed and said, “I guess so. That’s me. Fm the smiling preacher.” I take that as a compliment. Yes, I’m guilty of being happy! I’m guilty of being excited about the future. I’m guilty of living each day with enthusiasm.

 

God Has Great Things in Store for You

 

 Prior to reading this book, you may have been down in the doldrums or stuck in a rut. Perhaps you were ready to give up on your dreams. You weren’t excited about the people in your life or your career. But now you know better! Now, you know that God has great things in store for you. It’s time to relight your fire; recapture your enthusiasm and adopt a fresh, positive, happy attitude.
 “Yes, but Joel, I’ve had a rough year. I’ve gone through so many disappointments. I’ve lost a lot of good things.”

 

 Maybe so, but have you considered this? If it were not for the goodness of God, you might have lost it all. You might not even be here today Why not be grateful for what you have? Quit looking at what's wrong and start thanking God for what’s right. Get up each day expecting good things. Start expecting God’s favor. Start expecting His blessings. Be  excited about today
 This could be the day things turn around. This could be the day you get your miracle. 

 This could be the day you meet the person of your dreams. This could be the day your child comes back home. That’s how you stay enthusiastic, even in tough times. You expect good things. You stay filled with hope.
“What if I do all that and nothing happens?”I hear you saying. "I’ll go to bed all discouraged after another disappointment.”
 No, you can go to bed saying, “God, even though it didn’t happen today, Fm still trusting. Fm still believing for good things in my life. I’m still excited, knowing that I’m one day closer to my miracle. I’m one day closer to things turning around. I’m one day closer to a breakthrough."

 

 That’s what it means to stay full of zeal. Stay passionate about seeing your dreams come to pass. Stay on fire and aglow. Whatever you do, do it with enthusiasm!
 The Bible says, “If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land.’’3 Notice, we have to be more than obedient; we must be willing—willing to do the right thing, willing to live with a good attitude and with enthusiasm.

 

 It’s interesting to watch when the offerings are taken in church. A lot of people will give, but they're not really willing. Their attitude is: Here, God. Here’s the money I owe You. Another hundred bucks. I could have bought a new truck by now.
Technically, they may be obedient when it comes to giving, but God desires more than mere obedience; He’s looking for a willing heart. The Bible says, “God loves a cheerful giver.” (One translation says, “An enthusiastic giver.’’) This truth does not simply apply to money We should cheerfully give of our time, cheerfully serve other people, cheerfully do good to those around us.
 I don’t enjoy people giving me things out of obligation or duty, simply because they feel they have to. What if on my birthday my children came up to me and said, “All right, Dadd^ here is your gift. We had to spend all our money on this, so if you really want it, you can have it” ?
As much as I love my children, I’d say, “No, thafs all right. You just keep that gift.”

 

 What if Victoria came up to me in the morning and said, “All right, Joel, let’s get it over with. Let me give you a hug. Okay, I did my duty for the day”
 No, we all want somebody who wants to love us, somebody with a willing heart, somebody who’s enthusiastic about being around us. God is the same way He doesn’t simply want us to obey Him out of fear or even respect; He wants us to love Him as our heavenly Father. He wants us to do the right thing because we want to!

 

 He looks at your heart. When you pray talk to God with a willing attitude. When it’s time to attend church services or take part in other opportunities to serve in the community be excited about it. Don't do it out of obligation, merely because you have to. No, do it because you want to please God. Do it with enthusiasm. Learn to be more than obedient; learn to be willing. Develop a habit of doing the right thing with the proper motives, with a right attitude, and out of a grateful heart.

 

Learn to be more than obedient; learn to be willing.

 

 One of the main reasons that we lose our enthusiasm in life is because we become ungrateful; we take for granted what God has done for us. We let what once was a miracle become common to us. We get so accustomed to His goodness, it becomes routine; it doesn’t really excite us anymore. I heard somebody say, “Don’t let your miracles become monuments.” A monument is a piece of wood or stone that reminds us of something that once was alive, vibrant, and exciting.

 

 Maybe you used to be excited about the home that God helped you to buy but now that you’ve grown accustomed to it, you forget to be grateful for it; you’re not excited about it anymore. That's old news.
 Maybe you once were excited about that person God supernaturally brought into your life as a marriage partner, but now all the excitement has worn off. Don’t allow that sense of a miracle to slip away Don’t get so familiar with each other that you take one another for granted.

 

 During the first year that Victoria and I dated, we were on cloud nine. We laughed. We had fun. We didn't need to do extravagant or expensive things for entertainment. We were happy doing ordinary things. We were in love; we were excited, so everything we did was exciting as far as we were concerned.

 

 On one of our first dates I picked her up a bit early, so we had a few minutes to spare. As we were driving down the highway, Victoria said,
“Joel, let's pull into that new office building over there and take a look at the lobby I’ve heard that it is incredibly beautiful.”
 Now, normally I would think, Why do I want to go into a building and look at a lobby? I can think of much more exciting things to do.
 But no, I was with Victoria. As long as she was there, it didn’t matter. I would have gone and looked around a power plant as long as we were together!

 

 If you are married, you probably felt the same way about your spouse. You were head over heels for that person. You knew God brought you together.
 But too often, as time goes by, we take for granted what God has done for us. We get up in the morning and say, “Well, that’s just my wife (or husband). No big deal. Sorry, honey, I don’t have time to give you a hug. Fm in a hurry I don’t have time to do anything fun tonight. I might miss my favorite TV show, or the ball game.” What we once regarded as a miracle has now become commonplace. We’ve grown cool to it; we take what we have for granted.

 

 But the good news is, that fire can be rekindled. In your marriage, in your career, in your personal relationships, in your life! If you will initiate the changes you’ve learned about in this book, the excitement will come back. Rekindle that fire. Don't take life for granted.
 Don't take for granted the greatest gift of all that God has given you—Himself! Don’t allow your relationship with Him to become stale, or your appreciation for His goodness to become common. Get your fire back. Fan the flame more than ever. Live with enthusiasm. Whatever you do, do it for Him, with your whole heart.

 

 Friend, God doesn’t want you to drag through life defeated and depressed. No matter what you’ve been through, no matter whose fault it was, no matter how impossible your situation may look, the good news is that God wants to turn it around and restore everything that has been stolen from you. He wants to restore your marriage, your family, your career. He wants to restore those broken dreams. He wants to restore your joy and give you a peace and happiness you've never known before. Most of all, He wants to restore your relationship with Him. God wants you to live a satisfied life.
 God doesn’t want you simply to feel a little better for a few days after you read this book. No, God is in the long-term restoration
business. He wants you to have a life filled with an abundance of joy, an abundance of happiness. God doesn’t want you simply to survive that marriage. God wants to turn it around and restore you with a strong, healthy, rewarding relationship.

 God doesn’t want your business to merely make it through the murky economic waters. He wants your business to sail and to excel! When God restores, He always brings you out better, improved, increased, and multiplied. He has a vision of total victory for your life!
 Hold on to that new, enlarged vision of victory that God has given you. Start expecting things to change in your favor. Dare to boldly declare that you are standing strong against the forces of darkness. You will not settle for a life of mediocrity!

 

It’s our faith that activates the power of God.

 

 Raise your level of expectancy It’s our faith that activates the power of God. Let’s quit limiting Him with our small-minded thinking and start believing Him for bigger and better things. Remember, if you obey God and are willing to trust Him, you will have the best this life has to offer—and more! Make a decision that from this day forward, you are going to be excited about the life God has for you. If you will:

 

Enlarge your vision;
Develop a healthy self-image;
Discover the power of your thoughts and words;
Let go of the past；
Stand strong against opposition and adversity;
Live to give;
And choose to be happy . . .,
God will take you places you’ve never dreamed of, and you will be living your best life now!