Here is your Daily Devotional Prayer for November 30, 2016 brought to you by The Plough
“Shout for joy to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious…Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind!”
Psalm 66:1–2, 5
Here is your Daily Devotional Prayer for November 29, 2016 brought to you by The Plough
“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”
John 14:12
Here is your Daily Devotional Prayer for November 28, 2016 brought to you by The Plough
“Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!
Mark 13:35-37
Here is your Daily Devotional Prayer for November 27, 2016 brought to you by The Plough
“Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.”
Psalm 25:8–9
Here is your Daily Devotional Prayer for November 26, 2016 brought to you by The Plough
“Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you! As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you!”
Isaiah 64:1–2
None of us are required to live up to the expectations of others but there’s that little voice inside of us that tells us if we don’t, then we’ve failed at life. Not only is this untrue but it can be harmful to our inner psyche. You have no obligation to do what anyone else wants you to do. instead, you need to do things from the heart that inspire you and make you happy, not others.
The problem with expectations is… they get in the way of life’s experiences. You don’t need that type of pressure because God has put your pathway in front of you to determine where you go in life. This reminds me of a quote by Raymond Hull that states: “He who trims himself to suit everyone will soon whittle himself away.”
Are you living your life the way you want to live it? Are you still allowing others to manipulate your destiny according to their will?
Your inner voice or intuition calls you out for life’s adventures. It knows you, it knows your thoughts and it helps keep control over your life and decision making. When you hand over that control to the expectations of others, you eventually lose respect for yourself and forget what makes you happy.
Do you own your own life?
That’s the problem that follows you around when you try living up to others expectations. You don’t learn from your own mistakes and end up following along someone else’s misguided path filled with the remnants of bad decisions and regrets.
So, what should you do next?
If you live life stuck with expectations, you will never get out from reaching your true potential. Only you have the right to find your own happiness. Expectations place limits on us and life is not about limits but about shattering those limits and becoming the best you can be, No one can take that away from you!
Others may want to define you according to their own terms but you must serve yourself. Let go of both your expectations and those placed upon you and create your own reality. In the end, you either become a prisoner of other’s opinions or you live in a world where you live and die by your own decisions.
Your own expectations can be sidetracked and if they go wrong, you then make excuses for not getting where you want to go. If you worry about what others think, it becomes easier to make excuses. That is why insecure people do everything they can to meet expectations placed upon them and get caught up in self betrayal.
“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.” – Carl Gustave Jung
How to stop self betrayal?
Compassion for yourself is your first priority. Others won’t have the same compassion for you and that is the worst form of self betrayal. Your uniqueness won’t lock you into trying to please others just to live up to expectations set for you from past failures.
In life, nothing is easy but others make it so much harder for you when they try to control your actions, Whether intended or not, the words others use can have monumental consequences . They force us to pretend to be someone we aren’t until we lose both our authenticity and our identity.
You need to put your foot down and follow your dreams. Even if people mean well, they can’t see how they are hurting you. The key is to return to your innocent self and regain lost dignity.
Look into the mirror. Do you like what you see?
If not, then it’s time to go back and see that you have unique gifts to offer the world. Speak your mind and align your beliefs and values with your ethics and if they don’t match then its time to break the expectations others have over you.
According to author Jane Powell, from MeditationsForWomen.com, puts breaking expectations in perspective by stating, “Trying to live your life by the expectations of others disconnects you from your own desires. It leaves you feeling empty and unmotivated. The gratification that comes from fulfilling the expectations of others is very little and short-lived.”
That is why it is so important to to be aware of your surroundings. What are people trying to convey to you? Do they put you at ease or do they pressure you with their opinions and feelings?
Here Are 3 Things You Need To Do To Break The Expectations Of Others
When you cultivate self acceptance, you don’t need to have any type of expectations at all to be successful. Releasing expectations helps let go of outcomes. This way, you are not bound to what happens. Instead, you make your own outcome.
Focus on the present. It’s all you have and the more you live in the past or worry about the past the harder it is to overcome expectations. Focus on releasing people and situations from your expectations. That way, they can’t influence both your decision making abilities and your emotions.
Your expectations are undermining your happiness. In order to find happiness, you must not have any expectations at all. Break the cycle of desire and attachment and expectations diminish. Every day, we thrust expectations of all kinds on ourselves and the people we come in contact with. The more we live in the now and allow tomorrow to take care of itself the easier it is to live without expectations.
Let me end by quoting Steve Jobs when he says, “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it by living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogmas – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.”
Don’t let others rule your life with misguided expectations. Instead, follow your own heart and make your own way in the world. Even if you fail… pick yourself up, learn from your mistakes and success and happiness will follow!
Want to know how you can end all expectations and live the life God gave you?
You can find it in my #1 bestselling book on Amazon.com entitled “Summoned To Love – A Spiritual Blueprint For Rediscovering Inner Peace, Unconditional Love, And True Happiness.”
Here is your Daily Devotional Prayer for November 25, 2016 brought to you by The Plough
“The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice… The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all peoples see his glory.”
Psalm 97:1, 6
Here is your Daily Devotional Prayer for November 24, 2016 brought to you by The Plough
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them… For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5:17, 20
Here is your Daily Devotional Prayer for November 23, 2016 brought to you by The Plough
““I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.”
John 10:11-12
Here is your Daily Devotional Prayer for November 22, 2016 brought to you by The Plough
“Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.”
James 5:7
Are you happy?
The reason I ask this because according to 2016 World Happiness Report, people in the United States are only the thirteenth happiest people in the world. For the richest and most influential country on the planet, this doesn’t seem to make sense. But let’s delve a bit further and see how this affects you.
What makes you happy?
Is it family, friends, money, your career? All of the above… or none of the above?
You see, happiness is a state of mind not a place we go to or based on the current or past events of our lives. Happiness is like the air we breathe. We can either accept it and let it flow through our bodies pumping us up with a life-giving force or dismiss it and allow it make us sick. You, my friend, have the final decision on what you want to do when it comes to finding real happiness.
So let me ask you again. What makes you happy?
Finding happiness in life is actually a misnomer. We don’t have to find happiness… we need to experience happiness. It’s not about looking for something to make you happy but opening your heart and embracing happiness.
The science of happiness has determined that happy people have specific ways they think and act that impacts their sense of well-being and happiness. It goes much deeper than just feeling happy. Many look at happiness as a result of their action but happiness drives your actions.
Take a look at your life. When you are happy, it inspires what you do but it’s the complete opposite when you are sad. But what if you didn’t have to rely on feelings to be happy? What if what you do everyday is a product of a belief is a higher power?
What if you could effectively erase worry from your thoughts? Do you think you could allow happiness to enter in. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:25-34: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
Most people based their happiness on how much or how little they have to worry about. Living with worry only spoils the happiness that surrounds you. Quality of life should have no bearing on how happy you are. The rich are not any more happier than the poor contrary to many believe.
In fact, many of the poor throughout the world are much happier than people who have so much. Studies show that the poor in many countries base their happiness on factors such as gratitude, love and care while those who pursue materialistic endeavors tend to use the objects as way to find happiness.
Henry David Thoreau once said this about happiness, “Happiness is like a butterfly: the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder.”
If you search for happiness your whole life then it will be all in vain but if you allow happiness to live in your heart, it will grow like a flower. This is how I learned to be happy. I could have been mad at the world after losing my first girlfriend to leukemia but I lifted everything up to the Lord.
In Philippians 4:4-7, it tells us to “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice ! 5 Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
This gives us a road map on how to live a happy life.
Psychotherapist Jude Bijou MA, MFT states, “Joy is an emotion, and emotions are wordless. They’re pure physical sensations in our bodies. We express the emotion of joy in many physical ways.” Happiness should be physically exuded in everything we do. It isn’t about what we don’t have but being grateful for what we do have.
When I recently had major reconstructive surgery on my back, the pain was overwhelming but I still felt joy. Why? I was grateful for the health I did have. Pain was something I was used to for over ten years but I didn’t have control over that pain. To live a happier life, I needed to focus on things that I could control such as my mindset which is a major key to happiness.
So, how do you rewire your brain for happiness?
Here’s A Short List Of Things You Can Do To Change Your Mindset About Happiness
Build different bridges with your thoughts – This means, instead of building a negative bridge, start building positive bridges and then re-enforce those positive thoughts at so that our brains can adapt and change according to our everyday behaviors.
Practice self compassion – Compassionate people have shown the ability to see beyond those things that cause unhappiness ans are able to focus on both love and care which are vital to how happy people act.
Personal awareness – So often we live on autopilot that we forget to be aware of our surroundings. We don’t see the beauty and the wonder that is sitting right in front of us. We’re too worried about our bills, the office or even what to make for dinner that night. Our brains ruminate or go over the same things that it blocks out our chance to experience life in all its grandeur.
Commit random acts of kindness – These random acts of kindness set off s mini explosions of happiness in our brains. They give us hope, purpose and belonging in a world that sometimes can be very cruel. Giving is like a drug, the more you experience the more you want to keep giving.
The more you decide in your mind to be happy, the easier it will be to stay happy. When you concentrate on your personal happiness as well as the happiness of others, you make happiness a daily habit for the good of the world.
Love is one of the most important key to finding happiness in the world. Without it, we let misery creep in and allow ourselves to feel sorry for our situation.
Why is love so important to happiness.
Love and happiness have a connection that was given to us by God himself. God loves us so much that He wants us to experience that joy. We see this in bible verses such as: “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4, and “In your presence is fullness of joy, and at your right hand are pleasures forevermore,” Psalm 16:11.
According to Arthur Dobrin, D.S.W., Professor Emeritus, Hofstra University and author of over twenty books, “Whichever way you find happiness, it is always accompanied by love, for happiness is ultimately the love of life, the celebration of living. The mark of happiness is that you are sensitive to the world around you, that you acknowledge your dependence upon your surroundings and that you are filled with loving-kindness.”
We are to seek out love and as well as give it and happiness will be a huge part of the process. George Sand probably distilled down to it’s perfect meaning when he said, “There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved.”
Love changes us in so many ways. It makes us feel good, it gives us hope in others and it allows us to express the true nature of our being.. that is, to just love no matter what! No only do love and happiness go hand in hand… they were made for each other.
Love is an action verb. It must be acted upon. It is through those actions that we not only derive happiness but give it as well. The world doesn’t like others to be happy but you can make the decision right now to live in happiness and learn what makes people happy. Once you know this, happiness is yours to keep.
Want to know how you can find inner peace, unconditional love and true happiness in God’s kingdom?
You can find it in my #1 bestselling book on Amazon.com entitled “Summoned To Love – A Spiritual Blueprint For Rediscovering Inner Peace, Unconditional Love, And True Happiness.”
Here is your Daily Devotional Prayer for November 21, 2016 brought to you by The Plough
“Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
Ephesians 6:17–18
Here is your Daily Devotional Prayer for November 20, 2016 brought to you by The Plough
“Lord, my strength and my fortress, my refuge in time of distress, to you the nations will come from the ends of the earth and say, “Our ancestors possessed nothing but false gods, worthless idols that did them no good.”
Jeremiah 16:19
Here is your Daily Devotional Prayer for November 19, 2016 brought to you by The Plough
“But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.
1 Corinthians 1:27
Here is your Daily Devotional Prayer for November 18, 2016 brought to you by The Plough
“Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
Zechariah 9:9