Our youngest daughter Allie is known for imitating animals late at night in our house. She hops on all fours and gallops across our living room as a Tiger, Lion, Dog, Cat, Monkey…pretty much any animal you can think of. The other night I asked her, “Allie, why do you act like an animal all the time?” She answered…

“Because humans are boring!”

I admired her ability to spice up her life with acting like an animal from that point on. The truth is humans can be boring. We can get so caught up in the mundane routines of life that we lose all sense of awe and excitement. According to many studies the majority of people suffer from all kinds of life draining symptoms. We are more medicated in our culture than any other time in history. People are becoming numb to joy and happiness.

But this can’t be the life God created us for…and certainly not the life Jesus died for. In fact, Jesus said this in John 10:10

“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” 

Jesus said that He came to bring us life, but not just life, life more abundantly. There is a big difference between life and abundant life. Life is simply surviving where as abundant life is thriving. So what side of the comma do you live on? Do you life on the left side of the comma and just have life? Or do you live on the right side of the comma and have abundant life?

Too many people are living life with a frown rather than a smile. I sometimes wonder if their face is tired of frowning. I think some faces have been permanently stuck in frowning mode for years. Rather than taking responsibility for their happiness, they allow everything and everyone else to determine their well being.

“Life was meant to be ENJOYED not ENDURED.”

Life is a gift. It is an opportunity to enjoy the things God has given us. There are always times when tough circumstances  can be hard and even confusing, but the life we live is special. There is a supernatural joy that can fill us when God’s presence is within us. A joy that comes from God that strengthens us when we are weak.

Nehemiah 8:10

“And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

When joy is filling you, it overflows out of your life and into others. Have you ever noticed what happens when you are around joyful people? They lift you up even when you are in the midst of hard times. Joy is contagious, it can change our attitude. Nineteenth century English minister and professor Charles Kingsley said,

“The men whom I have seen succeed best in life have always been cheerful and hopeful men, who went about their business with a smile on their faces, and took the changes and chances of this mortal life like men, facing rough and smooth alike as it came.”

Enjoying life is about smiling through the good and bad. It is about turning the frown upside down and truly living a joyful life. There is scientific evidence found that happiness affects our physical body. Though this evidence in science simply reflects what the Bible already teaches.

Proverbs 17:22

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Happiness is like medicine for our soul, it can keep us healthy spiritually and physically. But just like joy is contagious, bitterness is contagious too. It can ruin our attitudes. Bitterness is a poison that spreads throughout our life and into others if we are not careful. Bitterness has no fruit, there is nothing sweet in it. It only corrupts.

Hebrews 12:15

See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.  

Bitter roots begin to grow in us when we frown more than we smile. They dig deep into our soul and take root that eventually can tear us apart. But when we cut down the roots of bitterness and plant the seeds of happiness, we produce a fruitful harvest. The truth is, happy people have much better lives than unhappy people. Only when we are in a place of joy do we really live a productive life.