This is your brain on worship

I wrote an earlier post about  overcoming rejection. Times of dejection can be depressing. So – how do we overcome the pain?

My favorite worship blogger  David Santistevan recently wrote this post “3 Tips for Leading People Through Pain”   One tip is to speak hope, breathe encouragement, and prophesy peace.

I hope to do that with this post.

A healthy response to dejection is to encourage yourself in the Lord.

This was how the biblical David coped with his pain.

David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him … but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.  1 Samuel 30:6

When we experience joy we actually change our brain chemistry.

Endorphins are released. Serotonin levels increase. You simply feel better. We were designed for joy. It is our deepest need. Joyful is the way we should live. Joy brings healing healing to our emotional, mental health.

So rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice. Philippians 4:4

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. John 15:11

Here’s 5 simple, practical tips for encouraging yourself and experiencing more joy:

  1. See with a heavenly perspective. God redeems pain. The cross and resurrection are the ultimate proof.  This is the great mystery of the Christian faith. God makes all thing work together for good (Romans 8:28). Jesus Christ is ALIVE and his resurrection power is for the purpose of redeeming our lives from the pit (Psalm 40).
  2. Keep it positive. Practice optimism.  God is for you, not against you. The game changer much of the time is “we get what we expect“. If we expect the best, we’re more likely to get it.
  3. Practice gratitude. I love the gratitude blog posts of  our friend Lara Riggs.  She makes it a practice to look at the bright side, to cultivate thankfulness. It’s not only the right thing to do, it’s the healthy thing to do.
  4. Have a purpose bigger than you. Although I did write a song called “It’s All About Me” -  hey, it’s just a joke. When life is not about “me”, when we live to serve others, it energizes our spirits. It’s healthy. Set some goals you believe in. Do something that you love to do. Live for your purpose.
  5. Live in the present. Enjoy the moment you have now. Have a childlike appreciation and wonder for today. Children are not nearly as uptight as adults because they don’t worry about yesterday or  fret about tomorrow. Say Goodbye to Yesterday – and the regrets of the past.
  6. Watch this awesome video from Gungor (Hey it worked for me …)

[tentblogger-youtube uRUCV78IULQ]

I hope and pray this post has been helpful for you. Have a joyful week!

Question: What do you recommend doing for encouragement ? Love to hear from you in the comments!

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