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| How To Enjoy Everyday Life by Joyce Meyer All of us have a large amount of time that we need to devote to “common life” or everyday business. You know what I mean—laundry, grocery store trips, doctor visits, washing the dishes, going to work, etc. We tend to see these chores as being quite different from and even far below our "spiritual life" or the things we do that we consider to be holy. Most of us who really love and are devoted to God prefer the holy times to the common. Holy times include praying, spiritual reading and meditation, sharing conversation about the Lord with friends, going to church or other spiritual meetings, etc. Seeing these two sides of our life as two entirely different categories usually causes quite a problem within the believer. Often we feel divided within ourselves, struggling to get finished with common life and everyday business so we can return to holy things because we feel that we are holier, or more right with God, when we are doing what we believe to be holy things. I believe this is one of the greatest deceptions of Satan. It keeps most people in a state of turmoil, dreading, and even despising, the tasks of common life and everyday business. All of us must do them; it’s part of life. They can’t be avoided. So we must have understanding about how, in reality, there’s no difference between common and holy, except in our minds. If we’ll read the Bible properly and not be so religious in our thinking, we’ll move into an area of freedom that will shake the gates of hell. Satan does not want you to enjoy your life. Naturally, if he can keep you thinking that God is only pleased with you when you’re engaged in some sort of so-called "spiritual activity," he can keep you unhappy a large part of the time. This misconception is one of his greatest tools to keep people from enjoying life. Often this comes as a vague feeling that makes believers miserable, and we don't even understand what’s wrong. All we know is that something is amiss. Everything we do is to be offered to the Lord; and if done so with a pure heart of love, it becomes holy. You can do common tasks, like go to the grocery store, and it’ll be just as holy as prayer, as long as you do it all to the glory and honor of God. In the realm of importance, prayer is certainly more important than a trip to the grocery store but not any holier. What I mean by prayer being more important is that it has eternal value, whereas a trip to the store or mopping the floor doesn't. Romans 14 is an excellent chapter in the Bible to bring liberty in this area. Verses 5 and 6 say: One man esteems one day as better than another [holier], while another man esteems all days alike [holy]. Let everyone be fully convinced (satisfied) in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. He also who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; while he who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. My personal translation of Romans 14:5,6 is that one man sees prayer and Bible study as better (holier) than ordinary tasks, while a person who’s really free in the Lord sees them all alike (all holy), because whatever he does, he does in honor of the Lord. This is true liberty—to be able to live an undivided life where we categorize some things as common and some as holy. As a result, we never enjoy the common things because we’re desperately trying to either avoid them completely or at least rush through them so we can get to those things that are holy. I just learned this lesson while traveling on an airplane to a speaking engagement. I was pondering the thought of how glad I would be when I got to my destination so I could pray and study. I was feeling very restless. The Lord began to minister to me that I needed to thoroughly enjoy the airplane ride, and it would be just as holy to Him if I would offer it to Him. He is holy, and He lives in you so that makes you holy. Therefore, wherever you go and whatever you do becomes holy. Now, I realize we’re growing in manifesting holiness, but I'm sharing that it’s His presence that makes things holy. Another thing that had quite an effect on me in this area was a plaque I saw in a pastor's office. It said, "My work is worship." As long as I remember that, I find myself enjoying everything in common life and everyday business, as well as prayer, Bible study and other things we define as spiritual. Join me in this liberated lifestyle and begin to enjoy everyday life. |
