All the days of the desponding and afflicted are made evil [by anxious thoughts and forebodings], but he who has a glad heart has a continual feast [regardless of circumstances].--Proverbs 15:15, AMPC

Through the help of God, we can be happy and content no matter what's going on (which is the way from the Beginning that the LORD meant for us to be). We can do it with His help--more proof that JESUS IS ALIVE!

After spending decades being sad, mad, and otherwise discontented, it's such a divine thing to be truly content. 

It was worth the struggle!

(The defeated enemy is really the one who's tormented, sad, mad, vexed, grieved, afflicted, and more--becuase he chose to rebel against God, Who made him perfect, and then he (the enemy) used his power and charm to deceive a third of the holy angels, who rebelled with him and became demons. UGH! So the devil tries to make us feel like he foreve does!)

We have to learn how to recognize and resist the wrong thoughts from the enemy, and learn to think and talk like God.

We do that by respecting, honoring, learning, knowing, speaking, singing, and otherwise living the Word!  

There is more to it, but it really all comes down to this: recognizing and refusing to agree with the lies of the enemy, and recognizing and choosing to agree with what God says in His Word about you!

God's original Plan in the Garden of Eden for Adam and Eve and all the people who would ever be born was a life of satisfaction, ease (meaning work, but very pleasant and meaningful work, to His glory), abundance, freedom, positive influence and creativity, and contentment! 

Since Adam and Eve fell (We truly cannot judge here. We probably would have done what they did. At least I probably would have, for I've made plenty of my own mistakes, and our failing to follow God always affects more than just ourselves. But praise the LORD for His mercy, faithfulness, and restoring Grace!), work and the rest of life was never the same. 

Now, we have to choose to seek God (although He is always with us and for us, thank goodness!). We have to choose to rejoice and be thankful. We have to choose to trust God to help and guide us and be content.

We have to continually acknowledge that we are weak, but He (alone!) is strong.

Where Adam and Eve fell, things changed. Mankind was doomed to be in bondage to the enemy forever, and to be tormented in soul and spirit in hell when the body dies. 

However--praise the LORD, Who is forever good and loves us and wants us to be free, rest even as we work, and highly enjoy our sublime relationship with Him!--Jesus Christ came to earth and died on the cross over 2,000 years ago to save us from our sins (rebellion against God, which came upon all people by default, because of Adam and Eve's rebellion) and from the eternal penalty of hell because of them! 

Glory, glory, glory to God!

One intenational minister has described it as (I'm paraphrasing), "God didn't want to punish us, so He punished Himself by becoming a man and dying the most horrible death on the cross for us--the rising again to see that His will (His Word, His Last Will and Testament) was carried out for His heirs!"

Hallelujah amen!

So, to back up what I've been writing, read it for yourself in the matchless, unchanging, eternal true Word of the Living God: 

Therefore, since we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us [grasp the fact that we] have [the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

2 Through Him also we have [our] access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God’s favor) in which we [firmly and safely] stand. And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God.

3 Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance.

4 And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation.

5 Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.

6 While we were yet in weakness [powerless to help ourselves], at the fitting time Christ died for (in behalf of) the ungodly.

7 Now it is an extraordinary thing for one to give his life even for an upright man, though perhaps for a noble and lovable and generous benefactor someone might even dare to die.

8 But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us.

9 Therefore, since we are now justified (acquitted, made righteous, and brought into right relationship with God) by Christ’s blood, how much more [certain is it that] we shall be saved by Him from the indignation and wrath of God.

10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, it is much more [certain], now that we are reconciled, that we shall be saved (daily delivered from sin’s dominion) through His [resurrection] life.--Romans 5:1-8, AMPC

The LORD will help us to choose to follow and believe Him (He is the Author and Finisher of our faith. We could never have received or believed Him, if He hadn't drawn us and helped us to start with! 

He will help us to yield to the joy within. Jesus is our joy! He is the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). He is everything good, and we who truly believe and are born again by His Spirit have Heaven to look forward to--and can have days of Heaven on earth, which is truly believing and perceiving that He is for us, with us, and always working all things together for our best and His glory (Genesis 50:20 and Romans 8:28)!

Hallelujah! 

God is good and all good, and sees every part of our lives at once. He is the ultimate (and only!) perfect Parent, and He loves us beyond compare. 

So let us respect and honor all the good He has done for us, all the days of our livies. Let us be thankful and realize how very blessed we are. Millions of people would trade places with us in a heartbeat!

Be happy [in your faith] and rejoice and be glad-hearted continually (always); 17 Be unceasing in prayer [praying perseveringly]; 18 Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will].--I Thess. 5:16-18, AMPC

The LORD will help you. He will ask you to make changes in your life, but He will give you grace to do it. He will give you grace to forgive and love others anyway, and do the right thiing even if they don't; even if they scorn you for it or try to hinder you from following Him. He always makes a way for you to follow Him.

The more you practice being thankful, happy, and content, the more you will be! He is so good; He will put His super on your natural, and Wow! You will start smiling more, being more loving to others, and the LORD will be glorified. Others will see more of Jesus in you--which is why we true Believers are still on the planet! 

Through books, courses, presentations, service, prayer, worship, and more, Tonja and her husband live to exalt God. Her series for girls, P.O.W.E.R. GIRL ADVENTURES, is now out (books I-V), along with LEGACY; YOUR HOLY HEALTH: VISIONS OF THE KING, and more. See the "River Rain Creative" YT channel.