Keep Singing Your Song

One of the secrets to becoming a better you is to keep singing the song that God has put in your heart. Too many people go around negative and discouraged, allowing their problems and circumstances to weigh them down. They live stressed out, dragging through each day, not really excited about life.

The fact is, God has put a well of joy on the inside of each one of us. Our circumstances may be negative; things may not be going our way. But if we can learn to tap into this joy, we can still be happy. We can live with enthusiasm in spite of what comes against us.

The way to keep your life full of joy and the way to overcome the pressures of life is by keeping a song of praise in your heart. You may not actually vocalize words and music. You may simply express a grateful attitude. In your thoughts, you are thinking about God's goodness. Or maybe you go around humming a tune to a song. Throughout the day, you're making melody in your heart.

When you do that, you are filling up on the inside; God is replenishing your strength; He's refilling your supply of joy and peace. The very things that so often become depleted through the stress, disappointments, and rigors of the day, God wants to refresh in your life. When you keep singing that song of praise, you can be continually refilled, filling up faster than the depletion caused by life taking a toll on you. That's how we stay full of the Spirit.

I'm not saying that you have to burst out in song, but I am suggesting that in your thoughts, you continually express a grateful attitude. Under your breath, throughout the day, you are thanking God for all He has done for you and your family. When you are working around the house, instead of complaining, you're whistling a tune. While you are cleaning up the dishes, you have some good praise music on in the background. You're humming along with it.

What's happening? You are making melody in your heart, and when you do that, you are continually filled up with God's love, joy, and peace.

In our thoughts, we are grateful. We are excited about the future. We are expecting good things from God, so we allow a song to play continually in our minds. Any of us can do that. And yes, if you choose, you can sing in the shower or while driving to work. When you do this, you're making melody in your heart.

When you're driving to work, play an inspiring praise CD. Make use of that time. At your house, put on some good uplifting music. Pay attention to what's going into you. Be aware of what you're feeding yourself.

If you listen to negative material, don't be surprised when you find yourself feeling totally deflated. That's what many people do today. In their thoughts, they have not song. They dwell on negative issues, the people who hurt them, how much work they have to do, how unfair life is. Then they wonder why they don't have any energy, why they dread going to work. It's because they've lost their song. They're not replenishing what's being taken out of them. You must stay on the offensive and make sure you have more positive input than negative.

Start the day by making melody in your heart unto God, singing a song of praise. Even if you don't do it out loud, at least do it on the inside.

Whatever you do, get your song back. If you need to change some of your habits and quit dwellilng on the negative, do it! Things may not be perfect in your life, but it could be a whole lot worse. Stop dwelling on what's wrong and start being grateful for what's right. Throughout the day, thank God for His goodness. Meditate on His promises. If you'll get your song back, you'll not only enjoy life more, but you will see things change in your favor.

How would our attitude change if we did not take everything so seriously, and refused to allow every setback or disappointment to depress us for two weeks. How much better our lives could be if we'd simply keep the song of praise in our hearts!

Maybe lately you have noticed that you don't smile as much as usual; you don't laugh much anymore. You have allowed the burdens of life to weigh you down. Perhaps you have settled into enduring your life and not really enjoying it. You don't have the fire and enthusiasm you once had.

This can all change, but it requires a decision on your part. You must develop some new habits. Number one: Develop a habit of smiling on purpose.

Sometimes you have to smile by faith. If you'll smile by faith, soon the joy will follow. Smiling sends a message to your whole body that everything is going to be okay. When you smile, chemicals are released throughout your physical system that make you feel better. Numerous studies show that people who smile and are friendly, people who have a pleasant demeanor, get more breaks than other people who are solemn and unfriendly.

When you smile, it's not only good for yourself, but it's a good witness to others. They will want the sort of happiness that you have. It's one things to talk about our faith, but it's a far better thing to live it out. One of the best witnesses we could ever have is simply to be happy, to have a smile, to be friendly and pleasant to be around.

We're not supposed to be merely holding on or dragging through life. Get your song back. Quit allowing the burdens of life to weigh you down.

We all have tough times, hard things to handle, or heavy loads to carry. Don't allow your problems and circumstances to steal your joy.

I recognize that our problems are real, and at times, life is extremely difficult. But after you get through this problem, after you overcome this challenge, there will always be another challenge to overcome. There'll be something else to deal with. If you are waiting for all of your problems to go away before you decide to get your song back, you will miss the joy of living.

Number one: Get in a habit of smiling on purpose. Number two: Check your posture. Make sure you stand up tall, put your shoulders back and hold your head up high. You are a child of the Most High God. You are not supposed to go around slumped over, feeling sloppy, weak, inferior, and thinking that you're unattractive.

Much of communication is nonverbal. Our body language is communicating constantly, so make sure yours is saying what you want to say. Your countenance, smile, posture, and how you carry yourself may make a world of difference in becoming a better you.