Philippians 1:1-11
1. Don’t look for happiness; create it.
2. Happiness is not a goal.
3. My habits create my happiness.
4 . Happiness, based on happenings, is temporary.
5. Happy habits are as addictive as bad habits, but they're a whole lot more rewarding.
Where do you start if you want to be happy?
"No, let me get down to business. You start with relationships."
If your relationships are traumatized, it's going to be difficult to be happy.
1. I must be grateful for the people in my life.
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The more ungrateful you are, the more unhappy you are.
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“No, we don’t.”
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The longer we know someone, the more we take them for granted.
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It's easier to remember bad times than happy times.
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"I thank God for the help you gave me."
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“I need to tell them what they mean to me.”
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Paul chose not to dwell on the painful memories.
2. I need to pray joyfully for the people in my life.
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I think the thing that keeps me moving is the prayers that many of you pray for me.
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Can you think of someone who irritates you?
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Why do we do more of the thing that doesn't work than that which does work?
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There are things in the lives of people around you that you'd like to change.
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They can only change themselves and only you can change yourself.
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Positive prayer can!
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"The quickest way to change a bad relationship to a good one is to start praying for the person."
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Pray that they will grow in love.
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Pray that they will make wise choices.
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Pray that they will live with integrity.
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Pray that they become like Jesus.
3. I must expect the best from people in my life.
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Those habits are easy to teach, but it is hard to take that principle and turn it into a habit.
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Philippians 1:6 "I am confident of this, that God who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
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He believed in people.
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Acceptance always precedes transformation.
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Give people a vision.
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What God starts; He finishes.
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When people expect the best of you, you tend to do better.
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Paul was patient with people’s progress.
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If you insist on perfection in people, you're going to be miserable for the rest of your life.
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If you want to be happy in your relationships, celebrate how far people have come rather than judging them for how much they still must go.
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The key to patience is love.
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If people aren't in your heart, they're on your nerves usually.
4. I must love the people in my life as Jesus does.
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"That which God has begun in your life and my life, He's going to bring to completion."