Joel Osteen - Choosing A Good Mood
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I want to talk to you today about Choosing a Good Mood. God created us as emotional beings. We can all feel things: we feel joy, excitement, passion. And we can feel sadness, sorrow, discouragement. Feelings come to us all, but here's the key: feelings don't always tell us the truth. Feelings are not facts. When you wake up in the morning you can feel gloom, despair, nothing good in your future. Then you get a cup of coffee and you feel great, you're back to normal. Feelings can change on a dime. The mistake we make is we let feelings determine our mood. We wake up and think, "How do I feel today"? If we feel the blahs, and we go around discouraged. We get stuck in traffic, "I feel upset". Someone offends us, "I feel offended". We have a bad break, "I feel self pity". We wonder why we don't enjoy life? It's because we're being ruled by our feelings.
You can't stop feelings from coming, but you can say, "Feelings, you are not the boss of me. You are not going to control my life". When you wake up in the morning you may feel the blahs, "I don't want to go to work. I don't want to deal with these children, have so many problems". Right there you have a choice: are you going to let those feelings dictate your mood? Or are you going to rule over those feelings, and decide what kind of mood you're going to be in? You have to be proactive, "Father, thank you that this is going to be a great day. I know I'm surrounded by your favor. Goodness and mercy are following me. You've said you hold victory in store for the upright". Don't wait for the feelings to come, get your mind filled with the right thoughts, and the feelings will eventually follow your thoughts.
This is what David did. He had all kinds of trouble: armies coming against him, people slandering him, his own son was trying to take the throne. You can imagine how strong those negative feelings were, discouragement, anger, self pity. When everything said, "Be depressed, be sour", he woke up in the morning and said (Psalm 118:24), "This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it". He wasn't just being positive, he was telling his feelings, "You're not going to rule me. You're not going to determine my future". Your will is more powerful than your feelings. You have to say the discouragement, "I will rejoice". Say to self pity, "I will be glad today". Say the sadness, the blahs, to no-passion, "You're not going to control my life. I may feel you, but you're not telling me the truth. You don't dictate my future. I will live this day in faith. I will rejoice. I will be glad in it".
See, when we're controlled by how we feel, that's a very surface way to live. You have to go deeper than that. You can't stop negative feelings from coming, but you don't have to get on board with them. Imagine you're at a train station, the conductor says, "All aboard". You asked, "Where the train is going"? He says, "It's going to discouragement, it's going to self pity, it's going to offense". You would say, "No, thanks. I'm not going there. I'm going to enjoy this day". That's what our feelings do. You wake up in the morning, they say, "All aboard, it's going to be a lousy day. Traffic's going to be bad. And you don't like the people at work. Your spouse gets on your nerves, last call for the depression expressed". Too often we hand them our ticket, step right on.
No, quit getting on board with those feelings. Try a different approach. Next time those negative feelings say, "All aboard", say, "No, thanks, you have the wrong passenger. I'm not going where you're going, my destination is joy, peace, abundance, victory". You can't stop the negative feelings from coming. Will always be opportunities to be discouraged, offended, upset. But you have to make the choice, "That's not for me. I'm going to live this day on in faith. I'm going to focus on what's right. I want to enjoy my family. I'm going to be grateful. I'm choosing to have a good mood". That's how you rule your feelings, and not let them rule you. When you get your mind going in the right direction, fill with thoughts of faith, hope and victory, you'll drive away the blahs, the discouragement, the discontentment.
The apostle Paul said, "I think myself happy". You can think yourself discouraged, think yourself bitter, or you can try a better approach, and despite how you feel, you can think yourself into a good mood. Instead of dwelling on what you don't have, what's wrong, what didn't work out, start thinking about what God promised you. "Father, you said my latter days will be better than my former days. You said I haven't seen, heard or imagined what you have in store". Maybe a child is off course, instead of living worried, "Father, you said my children will be mighty in the land. You said that from generation to generation we will tell of your goodness". Instead of following your feelings, you can get your feelings to follow you.
When you lie in the bed in the morning, you can dwell on the negative, everything that's wrong, you're going to draw in more negative, more discouragement. Or in the face of those feelings you can start thinking faith-filled thoughts, positive, hopeful, uplifting. That's what you're going to draw in. And it's important to start the day off in faith. This is when the enemy works overtime to try to give you the blahs. Instead of letting him set the tone, why don't you set the tone? Before you get out of bed, you need to decide: it's going to be a good day, and you're going to live it in faith. The scripture says, "Joy comes in the morning". Every morning joy is waiting for you. But let me tell you what else comes in the morning: guilt, "Look at the mistakes you've made". Bitterness, "Boy they did you wrong". Discouragement, "Nothing good is in your future". Self pity, "Why were you raised like that"?
God sends joy every morning just for you, but the enemy sends all these other things. Now, you get to choose. And here's the key: the negative is easier. Living off the surface, just going by what you feel, letting that dictate your day, that doesn't take any effort. But if you're going to live a victorious life, if you're going to reach your full potential, you have to go deeper and not be ruled by your emotions, not let feelings dictate your day. You have to choose to have a good mood, despite the feeling. Choose joy despite the discouragement. Choose faith despite the doubt.
Jeremiah 17:7 said, "Blessed is the person who is steady and immovable". That should be our goal: consistently in a good mood, consistently happy, consistently friendly, consistently kind. We're steady and immovable. The reason some people don't have good relationships is they're so Moody, they're always up and down, you never know what you're going to get. They're happy on Monday, upset on Tuesday, discouraged on Wednesday, friendly on Thursday, dangerous on Friday. You better stay out of their way. That's hard on your children, that's difficult on your spouse, your co-workers. They have to wonder: what you're going to be like today? You owe it to them, and you owe it to yourself to start ruling over those feelings. You're in charge. They are not the boss of you. Quit letting how you feel dictate your mood, and start choosing to have a good mood, choosing to be kind, choosing to be friendly, choosing to be hopeful.
And sure you may have challenges, but God is on the throne, he's fighting your battles. While he's working, instead of being discouraged, worried, in a bad mood, why don't you enjoy your life? You see, one of the best testimonies we can have is we're consistently in a good mood. We're stable, not up and down, discouraged, offended, sour, but we have a smile, we're pleasant, we're fun to be around. You're not always going to feel this way, but maturity is when you go beyond your feelings. You don't let them dictate your life. You choose joy, you choose a good attitude, you choose to have a smile. This can save some relationships. This can help you get along better with your children. This can help you get unstuck in your career. If you're letting your feelings rule, it's going to limit how high you can go. Nobody can do this for you. You can't pray away feelings. You will feel things, but feelings don't always tell you the truth. You have to override how you feel, and decide to have a good attitude, decide to be in a good mood.
In the scripture, Habakkuk 3:17-18 said, "Though the fig tree does not blossom and there be no fruit on the vine. Though the olive crops fail and there are no cattle in the stalls. Yet will I rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God of my salvation". He was saying, "When I woke up this morning, I didn't feel joy, my crops didn't bloom, cattle was gone, felt discouraged, like I didn't want to get out of bed". That train came by saying "Depression, defeat, discouragement, all aboard". He had a ticket, he had a good reason, but he understood this principle: he didn't let his feelings dictate his life. He said, "No, thanks, that train's not going where I'm going". All these negative things: crops failed, cattle gone, business down, then one little word, "Yet". He was saying, "All that's happened to me is not controlling my attitude, yet will I rejoice, yet will I be joyful, knowing that God is fighting my battles".
You may have negative feelings. I'm not asking you to deny what you feel, I'm asking you to add the "Yet". I had a bad break, yet will I rejoice. My child is off course, I should be depressed, yet I'm hopeful, knowing God has the final say. These people at work aren't treating me right, my feelings are telling me to get better, to be angry, to pay them back, but I know God is my vindicator, so yet, will I rejoice, yet will I have a smile, yet will I be good to people. Negative feelings may come, but do like Habakkuk, and add the yet. It's okay to have emotions, it's okay to feel things, but don't let the emotions have you, don't let the feelings have the last word. When you add the "Yet", angels go to work. When you choose to praise instead of complain, forces of darkness are broken.
When you're consistent, stable, always in a good mood, you give the enemy a nervous breakdown. He's expecting you to fall apart, get on board with your emotions, take that train to depression, to bitterness. He didn't realize you're a Habakkuk, you're a "Yet" person. "Medical report wasn't good, that didn't steal my joy, yet will I rejoice. My business had a setback, I'm not bitter, yet will I be glad. Went to a loss, wasn't easy, but I'm not sour, yet will I be hopeful, yet will I choose a good attitude, yet will I live this day in faith".
My sister Lisa went through a very difficult situation. After a few months of marriage, her spouse decided he didn't want to be married anymore. And of course she was devastated, and so heartbroken. For months she would hardly come out of a room. She felt depressed, she felt shame, she felt hopeless. Feelings can be very powerful, like they're overwhelming. Feelings will tell you, "There's nothing good in your future. This bad break has soured your life. You'll always be disappointed". But feelings don't tell you the truth. Feelings don't determine your destiny. Your life is in God's hands. He sees what you've been through, he sees the hurt, the pain. He said he has beauty for those ashes. He said he'll restore what was stolen. He said he'll pay you back double for the unfair things.
The Psalmist said, "A good person may fall seven times, but the Lord will raise them up". Sometimes you can't get up on your own, but God is right there with you, lifting you, strengthening you. Sometimes when you can't get up on your own, you know this: God is right there with you, lifting you, strengthening you, healing you, breathing in your direction.
After a few months a friend of my father's called Lisa, he was a well-known minister, and he said, "Lisa, I know you're hurting, I know it's not fair, but this is not the end of your story. The enemy is trying to keep you from your destiny. You have to rise up. Nobody can do this for you, but you have to put on a new attitude, and start moving forward". He said, "If you'll do this, God will take those scars, and turn them into stars for his glory". That day was a turning point for Lisa. She didn't feel any different, she still felt discouraged, but she started ruling over those emotions. She hadn't smiled in months. She didn't have any reason to have joy, but Lisa did something unusual: she started smiling by faith. Every emotion said, "Be sad, there's no hope", but she put a smile on her face.
When you smile it not only sends a message to your body that everything's okay, but you're sending a message to the enemy that he does not have the final say. Lisa was like Habakkuk: though the relationship didn't work out, though life threw her a curve, she said, "Yet, will I rejoice. Yet, will I believe. Yet, will I move forward". Lisa met my brother-in-law Kevin, they've been happily married for many years, she has three beautiful children. But sometimes like Lisa, you have to smile by faith. You don't have any reason in the natural, don't wait 'till you feel joy, do it by faith. When you could be complaining, have that song of praise. When you could shut the door and give up on life, dig down deep and say, "Yet, will I rejoice. Yet, will I be glad". Don't let the feelings have the last say. Add the "Yet".
Here's the key: the enemy wouldn't be fighting you, if there wasn't something awesome in your future. He knows you are destined to leave your mark, that you are a history maker, you are a barrier breaker. That's why he's trying to take you out. That's why those unfair things happen, people turned on you. Don't let those feelings keep you from your greatness. Start smiling by faith, start thanking God that he's working. Stir up the praise, the joy, the victory.
Psalm 42 says that David was deeply discouraged. He didn't think he could go on. He said in verse 4, "My heart is breaking". He felt forsaken, like he was wandering in the darkness. Verse 9 says, "I'm oppressed by my enemies. Their taunts pierced me like fatal wounds". He kept describing how bad it was, how he wasn't going to make it. When you let your feelings rule, you'll start talking defeat, and how it's not going to work out. Right when you thought David was going to give up, he said in verse 11, "Why am I so discouraged? Why am I so sad? I will put my hope in the Lord. I will praise my God again". He was saying, "I'm done letting these feelings dictate my life. I'm done talking about how big my enemies are. I'm going to try a new approach: I'm going to talk about how big my God is". I love how David talked to himself. He said, "Self, why are you discouraged"? He was saying, "Why are you being ruled by your feelings? Why are you letting your emotions determine your future? Put your hope back in the Lord".
We all have these times when discouragement comes. You have to do like David and say, "I'm not going to live by how I feel. I know these feelings are not the facts". Feelings will tell you that you'll never make it, but God says, "You will live and not die". Feelings will say, "Nothing good is in your future", God says, "Your latter days will be better than your former days". Feelings will tell you that you'll always struggle, God says, "You will live an abundant, bountiful, prosperous life". Don't let your feelings talk you out of your destiny, talk back to your feelings, "Feelings you are not the boss of me. You're not going to control my life. I may feel discouraged, but I'm not going to live discouraged". Get your mind going in a new direction: faith, hope, expectancy, and some new feelings will come.
You may feel sad, you've been through some difficult things. At some point you have to start smiling by faith. You can't keep a depressed attitude, a discouraged countenance, and expect things to get better. Sometimes we're waiting on God, but God's waiting on us to override what we feel, and believe what he said. And it's great when feelings assist us, when we feel hopeful, positive, and encouraged. But you can't depend on those feelings, because feelings come and go. Feelings can lead you astray.
I'm naturally a very positive, happy person. From my earliest baby pictures I have a big smile on my face. But even though that's my personality, there are still mornings I wake up and think, "I don't feel like writing another message. I don't feel like dealing with this situation. I feel the blahs". I do what I'm asking you to do, "Lord, thank you that this is going to be a great day. Lord, I'm grateful to be alive, thank you that you chose me before I could choose you. Lord, thank you for my family. Thank you for good health. Thank you for opportunity. Thank you for surrounding me with your favor. Lord, I'm going to live this day to the full". Before long, those blahs are gone. We have to go deeper than the surface. If you're letting how you feel determine your day, you're not going to have the joy and victory that belongs to you. Start choosing to be in a good mood. Override those feelings telling you to be sour, and on purpose have a good attitude.
There was a man that invited his friend to come over for dinner after work. They were in the construction business together, and they'd had a really rough day, and equipment didn't work right, man pulled up too far on the job site, and ran over some nails, it ruined his tire. It's just one of those days where nothing went right. Driving back home, the man sat there in silence, and his friend could tell he was very frustrated. But when this man got to his house, he did something unusual. There was a tree in a pot right by his back door. And he walked over to it, and rubbed both hands on it. Then he went in, and with the friend into the house.
The most amazing transformation took place. The man was happy, went over and hugged his kids, and kissed his wife, had a big smile. They all laughed and enjoyed each other. His friend was so puzzled. He got him aside and said, "What was it about that tree that made such a difference? Your whole mood, your demeanor, your attitude, everything changed". The men said, "That's what I call 'my trouble tree'. I know I can't avoid having difficulties during the day, delays, inconveniences, but I never bring trouble inside the house. I leave all the stress, the worry, the frustration on the tree". He said, "It's funny, the next morning when I come out, there's never as much trouble as a lift the night before".
We all need a trouble tree. Some of you need two or three. Quit carrying around all the worry, the stress, the disappointment. Life is going to happen. If you're only going to have a good mood if things go your way, then you're setting yourself up for disappointment. That's surface living. You have to go deeper. Say like Paul, "None of these things move me. I'm not going to let other people, delays, what doesn't work out to sour my day". Leave that on the trouble tree. In other words turn it over to God. You're not supposed to go through life worried, frustrated, discouraged.
Yes, you may feel upset, but you don't have to act on it. You may feel offended, but you don't have to take the offense. You may feel discouraged, but you can override it, and encourage yourself. You can think some new thoughts. You may have been through a disappointment, but like Lisa, you can smile by faith. The crops may have failed, but like Habakkuk, you can add to "Yet". It was a rough day, yet I will rejoice. Had a flat tire, yet I will stay in peace. Boss was rude, yet I will bite my tongue. Traffic is bad, yet I will have a smile. If we're going to live in victory, we have to be "Yet" people. We have feelings, but we don't let the feelings have us. We're stable, we're consistent, always in a good mood, always friendly, always hopeful.
First kings chapter 19, the prophet Elijah had just seen one of the greatest victories of his life. He called down fire from heaven, and destroyed 450 false prophets that worshiped Baal. It was this huge dramatic moment. You can imagine the excitement, and the high he was on. Emotions are great when they're working for us, but they can change in a minute. If you're depending on them to determine your mood, your faith, your belief, then you'll live up and down with no stability.
Well, when the king's wife, Jezebel, heard about what Elijah had done she was furious. She sent word to Elijah saying, "If I don't kill you by this time tomorrow, I'm going to kill myself". Elijah was terrified. He took off running for his life into the desert. Here he had just called down fire from heaven, wiped out hundreds of men, but now he's afraid of this one woman. There's a whole message there, but I'm not going there. He was sitting under this tree so discouraged, he said, "God I don't even want to live. Just take me home".
Look at how powerful emotions are, how convincing they can be. Seems obvious to us, "Man, Elijah, God took care of you back then, he's going to take care of you now". But Elijah let his emotions rule. He let his feelings dictate his attitude. Like with Elijah, we've all seen God do great things in the past. He's blessed us, protected us, healed us, he's not going to stop now. Why are you letting your feelings discourage you? Why are you living worried over that child, stressed over your work, guilty over past mistakes? God has you in the palm of his hand. You can't stop those feelings from coming, they're valid. I'm simply saying: feelings don't always tell you the truth. Feelings are not facts.
Feelings told Elijah he was finished, when in fact he was about to meet Elisha, a young man he would mentor, who would do twice as many miracles as him. When Elijah's feelings were telling him he was done, his greatest impact was still in front of him. Don't go the next 30 years letting your feelings control you. They're going to come, that conductor is going to say, "All aboard", you have to say, "No, thanks. I'm not going to live by how I feel. I may feel the blahs, but I'm going to choose joy. I may feel fear, but I'm going to choose faith".
Start telling your feelings: you're not the boss of me. Don't let them dictate your life. Where God is taking you is going to take stability, consistency, not Moody up and down. Every morning start the day off in faith, "Father, thank you that this is going to be a great day". If you'll rule over those emotions, and choose a good mood, I believe and declare: you're going to live happier, you're going to have better relationships, you're going to go further. New doors are about to open. Favor is coming, healing is coming, breakthroughs are coming. The fullness of your destiny, in Jesus name. And if you receive it, can you say amen today?