Every Day a Friday: How to Be Happier 7 Days a Week by Joel Osteen Read Free Book Online

your whole body that says,
God’s in control; everything is all right. This will be a good day.
Don’t wait to see how you feel before you express your joy. Put a smile on your face first. Then the joy will come.
    Smiling improves your attitude. You see life in a different light. It’s difficult to smile and be negative. It’s hard to stay in a bad mood if you act cheerful and friendly. One expert says smiling tricks the body into feeling good. That’s the way God created us. Smiling resets your mood.

Smile Power
    Our church in Houston receives many visitors who are undergoing treatments from a major cancer medical center nearby. I have been inspired to meet many of these patients who have smiles in spite of their condition.They are at peace. They are still joyful because they understand this principle: When you brighten up and wear a cheerful countenance, your body is assured that everything will be okay.
    Smile and you will have more energy, improve your mood, and get well more quickly. But if you wear a long face and you’re sad and depressed, your body will feel tired and run-down.
    My sister Lisa experienced this during difficult times years ago. For months she had no joy. She was so depressed she wouldn’t leave the house. Lisa prayed for happier, healthier times. She knew all the Scriptures. Her friends and family did their best to cheer her up, but nothing seemed to help.
    Lisa’s problem was that she was waiting to feel better so she could cheer up. But she had it backward. First you have to cheer up, and then you’ll feel better. Lisa put on a smile out of sheer determination. She smiled by faith. She chose to wear a cheerful countenance.
    And her step of faith was the turning point. She broke free of the chains of depression. If Lisa had not smiled by faith, she might still be praying for happiness to find her. She tells this story in her book
You Are Made for More
.
    Have you heard the saying “You’ve got to fake it till you make it”? You may have to wear a fake smile, but if you keep at it, God will turn it into a real smile. Lisa won back her joy and God paid her double for her trouble. My sister came out of hard times even better than before. Her comeback began when she chose to smile by faith.
    We all can find some reason not to smile, whether it’s high gas prices or low income. But your response should be, “I’m too blessed to be stressed. My future is so bright, I need sunglasses.” Or, as one person told me, “If I was doing any better, I’d be twins.”

Put on a Happy Face
    Scientists say that humans are programmed to mirror the facial expressions of others they encounter, so your smile is contagious. Make a habit of smiling. Scripture says, “In [God’s] presence is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11 NKJV ).
    When you lack joy, you are disconnected from God’s presence. When you’re sad and frustrated and wear a chip on your shoulder, you’ve detached yourself from favor, blessing, healing, and promotion. Your happiness supply line has been disconnected.
    You have joy deep within you, but sometimes you must push it up higher where we can all see it and share it. Professors at Yale University did a study on how appearance, personality, and attitude influence others. After much in-depth research, they concluded that the single most powerful force of human influence is not looks, height, or personality. Instead, your
smile
is your most powerful tool for influencing others in a positive way.
    That explains the saying “If you’re not smiling, you’re like a person with a million dollars in the bank and no checkbook.” Studies have shown that people who smile frequently are promoted more often and end up with higher-paying jobs. Why is that? Don’t you prefer being with those who are happy, good-natured, and friendly? Of course, we all do!
    I’m known for smiling a lot. My brother, Paul, says I was born with my Happiness Meter set on 98. His was set on 10, but he’s working on