day; but rather as for the seasoned believers, the purpose of these prayers is incorporation into, and supplementation of your perpetual daily prayer life.
As we all know a prayerless believer is a powerless believer, and when we do not pray, we become prey for the enemy!
Finally, there are additional scriptures included in boxes at the end of each day that you can read in order to expand your understanding on aspects of joy and the multiple dimensions of this blessing from God.
I pray as you read through each devotional, you will go about your day with a greater consciousness of how as a believer you can lead a joyful and impactful life.
DAY 1: Expectations
“For surely there is an end; and thine expectations shall not be cut off.” Proverbs 23:18 (KJV)
Eᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ ʜᴀs ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴs of self, others and even God. It is only normal to have some form of expectation. Proverbs 23:18 indicates that as believers we are to be hopeful and expect that our hopes will come to fruition. To live life without expectations would be difficult and counterproductive. This is because to an extent, healthy expectations motivate and drive us to not only work hard but to move our lives forward. Considering how all things require balance, it is important to ensure our expectations are moderated as they can be extremely positive or extremely negative if they are not kept in check. It is important to manage expectations in a healthy and productive way, where the focus is on fulfilling God’s purpose and understanding His timing and plans.
Our expectations are one of the key areas in our lives that can rob us of our true joy. Often this is because there is a disparity between our Expectations and the Realities we face. If we are honest and we take time to ask ourselves some telling questions, we will realise that on most occasions, our unhappiness stems from ideals we think should hold true concerning our lives, instead of what the reality of our lives actually is. This is because we tend to carefully construct a step by step road map of what we want life to look like at any given stage. For example, you may have hopes that at a certain age you would have finished your education, obtained employment and while working your way up the corporate ladder would have met a suitable mate with whom you would have had your two point five kids; all within a projected timeframe.
The expectations we carry are often a result of a culture within an environment where success stories and the life of bliss are overrepresented and pale in comparison to our own reality. Rarely do we see headlines on the struggles, the journey and process of how the rich and famous got to where they are. As a result, when we compare our lives to theirs, we may feel that our achievements do not match up. We are not wrong to carry hopes, dreams and desires. In fact, they may have been given to us by God in the form of inspirational pictures of what our life should be. What we need to realise, and practise is placing our trust in Him to bring our hopes to fulfillment. We should trust in His appointed time and not be caught up with society’s expectations or our own projected ideals. We must learn to appreciate the process of God’s timing. We must master unrealistic expectations and ensure we do not find ourselves in a place where the vision and dreams that God gave to liberate us kill our creativity.
Take Home
Your fulfillment in life should not come from people or circumstances but from fulfilling your God given mandate. Begin to find fulfillment wherever you are now, knowing that it is God that has placed you there for a reason and for a season. Prayer Father through the power of the Holy Spirit I break any unrealistic expectation that I have placed on myself. I choose to trust in your plan and purpose knowing that I am part of something that is bigger than myself and my personal ambitions. I choose to be happy and from today I choose to avail myself as a vessel unto honour in your kingdom. It is my joy and pleasure to be counted amongst your servants. Amen.
Prayer
Father through the power of the Holy Spirit I break any unrealistic expectation that I have placed on myself. I choose to trust in your plan and purpose knowing that I am part of something that is bigger than myself and my personal ambitions. I choose to be happy and from today I choose to avail myself as a vessel unto honour in your kingdom. It is my joy and pleasure to be counted amongst your servants. Amen.
Further Reading: Proverbs 10:28
DAY 2: Contentment
“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”
Hebrews 13:5–6 (KJV)
Tʜᴇ ᴍᴏᴅᴇʀɴ ɢᴇɴᴇʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ is wealthier than ever and yet the poorest when it comes to satisfaction. We have more than any other generation, yet we are still plagued with unhappiness. It is easier to get what we want yet still many find themselves unhappy.
Many are living life in a way that they always see from the perspective of what is lacking. There is an insatiable appetite for more and many are on a great quest to reach the pinnacle of what the world perceives as ‘success’.
I believe the root of our discontent in life lies in the quest for more of the success that is portrayed in the world. The idea of achieving growth via the process of progression to the achievement of success in our lives is good. However, we should understand that the ideal sold to us by the world over promises and under delivers in the end. When we reach the ‘ultimate goal’ we had perceived to be the point at which we would be happy, we come to the sad realisation that it is not the case.
One of the keys to living a life of contentment is learning to appreciate what we have at any given point. Having a heart of gratitude for what God has given, coupled with hope that He will give you what you need in the future, will allow you to live a life of contentment. What you don’t have in the present that is material is something you do not need for that moment or season. No matter where you are and what you have, there is something you can appreciate and show gratitude for. In Philippians 4:12, the Scripture says “I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.”
As we learn in the book of Philippians, there are seasons in life where we may experience lack and we may not have the things we want. This is because at times when God wants to elevate us, He may allow for us to go through times of lack to train us to abound and abase. It is a reminder that our lives should not be focused on finding happiness or seeking the material.
Take Home
Life is not always about what we have but about what we do with what we have and who we are in Christ.
Prayer
Father I thank you that today every competitive spirit is uprooted from my soul. I choose to live a life of love and selflessness. I choose to be content in life and refuse to be overcome by covetousness. I am a blessing. Thank you for the grace that is available for me to be content with your love in the kingdom. Amen
Further Reading: 1 Timothy 6:6–10
DAY 3: Mismatch
