Elect Lady's Corner

What does it mean to be miserable? Miserable is defined as: “wretchedly unhappy or uncomfortable.” When someone is described as a miserable person that usually means they are people you don’t enjoy being around because they are negative, bad tempered, self-oriented, or unfriendly.  Someone once said there are ten ways you can guarantee to be miserable. 

They suggested these 10 attributes. 1) Listen to what people have to say about you and if it’s not what you want to hear, get angry. 2) Always be suspicious, jealous, and envious. 3) Be sensitive and easily offended. 4) Never accept correction or forgive criticism. 5) Trust nobody but yourself because you’re always right 6) Never forget the things you have done for others and feel entitled that you deserve special privileges 

7) Be a complainer and pessimistic about most things and people. 8) Give little but expect much. 9) Always comparing yourself to others. 10) Isolate yourself from people and become a loner. I could go on, but let’s stop here! So, why would you want to be miserable or have miserable people in your life if you don’t have to? That’s not why Jesus came! So, if there are at least ten ways you can be assured of a miserable life, what can you do to be assured of an “abundant life?”

The term “abundant life” comes from the words of Jesus in St John 10:10: “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” The devil who is the thief has a purpose for your life to be miserable (as he robs you of God’s blessings for your life), while Jesus has a purpose for your life to live an abundant life (as He enables you to live life). 

St John 10:10 (NLT) says: “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying.” So, here are at least ten ways you can be guaranteed an abundant life. 1) Make sure you’re going in the right direction. Matthew 6:33: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.” 

2) Be a peacemaker: Matthew 5:9 says: “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”  3) NGUKOG: Make up your mind to: “Never Give Up, Keep On Going.” Galatians 6:9 says: “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Note: as I read Psalm 37 there were so many blessings for our lives to choose from I decided to do the remainder of blessings from this Psalms). 

4) Don’t be revengeful. Psalm 37:1-2 says: “Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb.” 5) Trust God and do the right thing. Psalm 37:3 says: “Trust in the Lord, and do good; So shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed..” 

6) Let serving the Lord be a delight. Psalm 37:4 says: “Delight thyself in the Lord; And He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” 7) Make sure you are living a committed life to God and He will prosper you. Psalm 37:5 says: “Commit thy way unto the Lord; Trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.” 8) Don’t live life as an angry bitter person. 

Psalm 37:8 says: “Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: Fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.”  9) Make sure you have a meek spirit.  Psalm 37:11 says: “But the meek shall inherit the earth; And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” 10) Live life knowing and believing that God is mindful of you. Psalm 37:18 says: “The Lord knoweth the days of the upright: And their inheritance shall be forever”. 

(NLT says: “Day by day the Lord takes care of the innocent, and they will receive an inheritance that lasts forever.” This Psalm is so good let me give you just 2 more! 11) Make sure you’re in step with God’s word. Psalm 37:23 said: “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: And He delighteth in his way.” 12) Have the assurance that God will take care of you! 

Psalm 37:25 said: “I have been young, and now am old; Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” I’m going to stop there but I encourage you to go back and read the entire Psalm 37, it will certainly bless you how and why to live the abundant life. 

But it’s not too late to get started applying these principles to your life. Remember God has planned a blessed life for you and an expected end. Jeremiah 29:11(NLT) says: “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”