Don't Worry...Be Happy!!

It's official! Optimists live longer than pessimists!

Just another reason for me to seek JOY as I live each day! As you know, I believe that God put us on this earth to live a life of JOY in HIM. The Bible says in Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV):

25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

A study reported by Robert Roy Britt, LiveScience Senior Writer has the following to say (about 2000 years after the original advice, above):

Optimists get the last laugh, according to a new study that shows their hearts stay healthy longer than those of grumps.

Optimistic participants had a 55 percent lower risk of death from all causes and 23 percent lower risk of death from heart failure.


I know that in today's fear based climate, that it is hard to focus on "treasures above", and easy to get caught up in the "worry" of day-to-day living. When this happens to me, I go straight to my "peace within the storm" verse: John 16:33, to remind me that God has overcome the world.

I will leave you with the following words, once given to me by a friend, that will cause you to search deep within:

THE GREATNESS OF YOUR FEAR IS DIRECTLY PROPORTIONATE TO THE SMALLNESS OF YOUR FAITH.