Starting Your Best Life Now: A Guide for New Adventures and Stages on Your Journey by Joel Osteen Read Free Book Online

through the Bible, we find the principle of sowing and reaping. “Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7 NKJV ). Just as a farmer must plant some seed if he hopes to reap a harvest, we, too, must plant some good seed in the fields of our families, careers, and personal relationships.
    If you want to reap happiness, you have to sow some “happiness” seeds by making others happy. If you want to reap financial blessing, you must sow financial seeds in the lives of others. The seed always has to lead.
    God is keeping a record of every good deed you’ve ever done, including ones within your family. You may think it went unnoticed, but God saw it. And in your time of need, He will make sure that somebody is there to help you. Your generous gifts will come back to you. God has seen every smile you’ve ever given to others. He’s observed every time you went out of the way to lend a helping hand. God has witnessed when you have given sacrificially, even giving money to others that perhaps you needed desperately for yourself. God has promised that your generous gifts will come back to you (see Luke 6:38).
    Quiet your heart and receive God’s Word: “A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed” (Proverbs 11:25).
    Here’s something extra from the apostle Paul: “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:7–8).
    W HEN YOU ARE GENEROUS TO OTHERS, G OD WILL ALWAYS BE GENEROUS WITH YOU.

CHOOSE to Be Happy
Learn to live one day at a time.
By an act of your will, choose to
start enjoying your life right now.
Enjoy everything in your life.

Life is too short not to enjoy every single day.
    REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS
    I’ve heard parents say, “Well, as soon as my children get out of diapers, I’m going to be happy.” Others say, “As soon as they go off to school, I’ll have some free time, and I’ll be happy.” And some say, “Once the kids graduate, I’ll start enjoying my life.” Meanwhile, life passes by. “As soon as I get that promotion, as soon as I close this business deal, as soon as I retire . . .”
    WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
    The apostle Paul wrote more than half of the New Testament while incarcerated, often in prison cells not much bigger than a small bathroom. Yet Paul wrote such amazing faith-filled words as “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4 NKJV ). Notice that we are to rejoice and be happy at all times. In your difficulties, when things aren’t going well, make a decision to stay full of joy.
    You need to understand that the enemy is out to steal your joy. The Bible says that “the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10 NKJV ), 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.
    It is a simple yet profound truth: Happiness is a choice. You don’t have to wait for everything to be perfect in your life. You don’t have to forgo happiness until you lose weight, break an unhealthy habit, or accomplish all your goals.
    Quiet your heart and receive God’s Word: “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” (Proverbs 17:22).
    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. To do so, you must learn to live one day at a time; better yet, make the most of this moment. It’s good to set goals, but if you’re always living in the future, you’re never really enjoying the present in the way God wants you to.
    By an act of your will, choose to start enjoying your life right now.