Joel Osteen - Live Cause Driven

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TOPICS: 15 Ways to Live Longer and Healthier, Lifestyle

You were created to live for something bigger than yourself. Studies show that when you serve others, the brain release neurochemicals, like oxytocin and endorphins. These chemicals promote feelings of happiness, reduce stress and enhance overall well-being, leading to a healthier, happier life. It's good for us to have goals and dreams, things we want to accomplish. That's important. But if you're only focused on yourself, you won't reach your highest potential. You were created to help someone else. To be a blessing. To lift the fallen. To encourage those who are down, to fight for those who can't fight for themselves. We all need to find a cause we're passionate about. Some way we can make the world a better place. Maybe to volunteer at a women's shelter. To mentor young men.

Do repairs for elderly neighbors. Maybe your cause is to support great organizations. Help build a children's home. To fund a ministry. To pay a single mom's rent. The cause may be to break an addiction so your children don't have to deal with it. To come out of poverty and set a new standard for your family. When you live cause-driven you'll do thing you normally wouldn't do. Get up early. Make sacrifices. Show up when you have other things to do. You're committed to the cause. You don't wake up in the morning and think, "I don't feel like going to work. I don't want to deal with these problems". Your attitude is, I'm on a mission. I have an assignment. It's not just about me. Somebody needs what I have. Someone's counting on me. I'm going to be a positive force for good in my neighborhood, in my family, and at my workplace.

The reason some people are not happy, is they're ingrown. As long as you're only focused on you, you're not going to be productive and fulfilled. Look around for ways you can be a blessing. When you give your time, energy and resources to care for the hurting, to lift those who are disadvantaged, to bring their dreams to pass, you will see God's favor in new ways. At one point or another, we all face uncertain situations. We have a problem and we don't know how it's going to work out. So we do our best to come up with a plan. To find a solution. We think we have to have the answer or it's not going to happen. But there are some things that God doesn't want us to know. He has the solution, but if he showed you right now, it wouldn't take faith. The test comes when we don't have the answers. When we don't see how it could happen.

Are you waiting for God bless you while God is waiting for you to be a blessing? The next level of your destiny is connected to helping someone else. Think about David in the scripture. When he was a teenager, he was taking care of sheep in the shepherd's fields. It looked like he was stuck. He didn't come from an influential family, or have an important position. All the circumstances said that he would live an average, ordinary life. Never do anything great. When his father asked him to take food to his brothers on the battlefield, David could have said, "Dad, I don't want to do that. I'm not an errand boy. I'm busy with the sheep. Find somebody else". He could have refused, but this small act of obedience, doing something kind for his brothers, going out of his way to be good to them is what led to his destiny.

Don't discount the small things you can do for people. Bringing someone a cup of coffee. Giving them a ride home. Making dinner for a neighbor who's not well. Staying late to train a co-worker. Those small acts of obedience can lead to big blessings. When David arrived at the army camp, heard Goliath, the Philistine giant, taunting the Israelites. The soldiers were terrified and ran away. Something rose up in David. His holy anger. Said, who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? David's oldest brother Eliab overheard him. He said, "David, why are you even here"? In other words, "David, you can't do anything about this giant. Look how small you are".

David could have been offended. Gotten into an argument. Instead, he answered back, is there not a cause? He was saying, "You may be afraid, but this giant is not going to dishonor my God. This is a cause worth fighting for". Something was birthed in David in that moment, a fire, a passion to bring Goliath down. What took David from the shepherd's fields into his destiny was a cause. He was willing to get involved in something bigger than himself. He didn't have to care about Goliath. He could have dismissed those defiant words. He wasn't even in the army. Goliath wasn't taunting him personally. He could have gone back home and lived an average, ordinary life. But when you fight giants for someone else. When you stand up for those who can't stand. You're not just helping them, that cause is going to launch you into your destiny. David took his slingshot, slung a stone and defeated Goliath. Eventually he took the throne of Israel.

What's interesting is, that the crown was attached to the cause. Without the cause, he would have never become king. Like with David, your crown is going to be found in a cause, your promotion, your breakthrough, your dream coming to pass, is going to be found in being a blessing and fighting for a cause bigger than yourself. What wrong are you fighting for? Who are you helping?

David could have been satisfied in the shepherd's fields. He could have been satisfied with an ordinary life. But like David, safe is not your destiny. Average is not what you're called to be. Take on some giants. Believe to advance the kingdom. To set new standards. God didn't give you the talent, the personality, the courage just to go to work, make a living, feed your family. You were called for a cause. You were gifted for a cause. You are here for a cause. You have influence and are anointed for a cause. Don't just build your kingdom, build God's kingdom. Make your neighborhood better. Bless a co-worker. Stand for justice. Love the forgotten. When you find your cause, you'll start to live with new passion, new purpose. You'll believe for big things. You'll pray bold prayers and you'll see giants come down.

I found that I'm at my happiest and healthiest when I'm with people who inspire me to pursue God's best. My wife Victoria is an incredible voice of wisdom and encouragement in my life and in the lives of so many others. I wanted to sit down with her and discuss some of these strategies that have helped our church, our family and our relationships grow stronger and healthier over the years.

Joel Osteen: We're talking about living cause-driven and how life is much more richer and much more fuller when you're being a blessing and not just focused on being blessed yourself. My father always taught me in our family to be a part of something bigger than yourself. And I think one reason that some people aren't happy today is they're ingrown. My goals, my dreams, my problems, my challenges. And really, that's not a fulfilling way to live. Life is all about being a blessing to somebody else. Even, Victoria, when I first started dating you, I remember on Sundays, you would go pick up this elderly lady and bring her to church, where you went to church. It always struck me, because I thought, who is she? Is she your grandmother? Is she your friend? She said, "No, just this lady I met at church and she needed a ride, so I go pick her up every day". Here is a 20 year old girl going and picking up is somebody she hardly even knows, but that always impressed me. But that's the way we were created to live. I mean, I love to think about, get out of bed each day, not thinking about how I can be blessed, but who can I be a blessing to?

Victoria Osteen: Isn't that the truth? It gives you so much purpose. I think that's God's principle. He said, "I'm going to bless you to be a blessing". And when you're a blessing, it's amazing how God's blessings come into your soul. I'm not even talking about material blessings. I'm talking about the enrichment of your soul and your life. And, I think that's one thing that God's helped me with and given me the grace to do. I love to help people. I will get friends and just walk them through problems, walk them through things. I love that so much. I have this one friend. She said, this is crazy, because I don't think this is true. But she always tells me, "Victoria, I don't think I'd be alive if it wasn't for you today". Because I pour myself into her, but I find so much blessing in doing that. So, I think that that's really a healthy and wonderful way to live is to always be on the lookout for who you can help.

Joel Osteen: I've even met people. I remember this man specifically, his son was off course. He had been praying for him for years. He was maybe in his early 20s, the son. He met a young man in his own life. And he needed some help. So he started pouring into this other young man. He started mentoring him and helping him rise higher. It was interesting, as he helped this other young man, his son began to get back on course. It's a principle there. That's a seed that you're sowing.

Victoria Osteen: Even small things, Joel. Even if you're walking into the grocery store, or to a store holding the door open for someone. I was walking into the gym the other day, and someone held the door open for me. I was like, I love to do that. I'll hold the door open for people and give them a big smile. It's amazing what it will do to your day.

Joel Osteen: When you're being a blessing. When you're living cause-driven, when you have a focus of helping somebody else, those are seeds you're sowing. It even says in Isaiah, I think it is, that when you feed the poor, when you clothe the naked. When you help those in need, then your life will burst forth. I talk about this a lot, about sowing a seed in your time of need. Being a blessing. It's about living cause-driven. I love that what David said. We talked about, "Is there not a cause"? All of us should have that on the inside. I have a cause. I'm making the world a better place. I'm helping someone in my neighborhood. I'm lifting somebody up.

Victoria Osteen: If you can make this world a better place, I think that pleases God, when you can do things for others. My cousin, she would make dinner. She would always take some of her dinner and walk it out to her back fence to an older gentleman that lived there. It's so funny. He would be there at that certain time every night. She lived to give. She would do that. She'd make pies for the woman down the street. She lived to give. I see her life now. She's the most cheerful, joyous, happy person, and her life is very full. And not just with things, but it's just full with life. It's full with excitement. I think that's what that does. It keeps our souls so healthy and so excited, and so ready for life.

Joel Osteen: I love that, Victoria. It's what the scripture talks about. It's better to give than to receive. To our natural mind that doesn't make sense, because I want to receive. When you understand the blessing of giving, and the blessing of helping others, it does something on the inside. We were created to not live ingrown, but to live outgrown, to be a blessing to others.

Being cause-driven will help you to stay determined and stay focused. When Jesus was about to be crucified, he didn't feel like going through with it. He was in such distress and so overwhelmed in the Garden of Gethsemane, that he sweat great drops of blood. We think he won the victory at Calvary, but, really, the victory was won in that garden. That's where he made the decision to stick with it. He prayed three times, "Father, if it's possible, let this cup pass from me". All of Jesus' emotions said, he should give up. His feelings said he shouldn't go through with it. His mind said it was not worth it. If he had not lived cause-driven, we wouldn't have salvation. The darkest moment Jesus made the decision, "This is not about me. This is about helping others. This is about fulfilling my purpose".

The scripture says that angels came and ministered to him in the garden. In those difficult times when you're trying to break the addiction. Trying to keep your marriage together. Trying to take your family to a new level, you'll be tempted to think it's too hard. It's been too long. This pressure is too much. When you're in your own Garden of Gethsemane, you have to do like Jesus. Make the decision that that cause is worth it. When God gives you a cause, he'll give you the grace and the favor to carry it out. Look at the story of Nehemiah in the Bible. He was a cupbearer to the king of Persia. He wasn't in management. Didn't have wealth or influence. He had an ordinary position. When he heard that the walls of Jerusalem had been torn down and the city was unprotected, he was living a thousand miles away. He could have thought, "That's too bad, but it's their problem. I can't do anything about it".

But something came alive inside. Nehemiah knew he was supposed to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. How could he do it? He had no money, no staff, no influence, no experience. But when you're cause-driven, you'll pray bold prayers. You'll believe for the impossible. You'll expect doors to open. I've learned that what God orders, God pays for. When it's too advance the kingdom, when it's to bring about positive change, the resources will be there. The right people will show up. You don't have to figure it all out. All you have to do is believe and obey. Nehemiah asked the king for permission to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls. Can you imagine asking your boss for six months off to go do a personal project? You would think the king would say, "Excuse me. You're on my payroll. I need you to be here". But, for some reason, the king agreed. He said, "Fine, you can go".

If that wasn't enough, Nehemiah asked for a letter from the king that would grant him all the lumber he needed for the project. The scripture says, "The king granted Nehemiah his request, because the favor of God was on his life". It's good to ask for yourself. But when you're asking for someone else, when you're taking a stand for those who can't, when you're kingdom-minded, and not just "Me-minded," God will open doors and show out in your life. What's holding some people back, they are only focused on their goals, their dreams, their projects. Why don't you invest some of your time, energy and resources into someone else. Help fight their giants. Help their dreams come to pass. Mentor their child. Take care for them as they go through an illness. That cause is connected to your crown. That's what's going to open new doors to your destiny.

Defeating Goliath, someone else's giant, is what took David to the throne. It's good to have your dreams, it is good to have your goals, but you need to be a part of something bigger than just you. David would have stayed in the shepherd's fields if he had not found a cause. Nehemiah would have lived an ordinary life, if he had not found his cause. When Nehemiah went to Jerusalem to build the walls, he faced all kinds of opposition. Critics ridiculed and tried to stop him. Enemies threatened to attack the workers. Plots were set against his life. It's one thing after another. But when you're cause-driven, you don't go by how you feel. You're not moved by the opposition. You're on a mission. You have an assignment. The cause helps you to stay focused, persistent and determined. Should have taken Nehemiah years to finish rebuilding the walls, but he did it in just 52 days.

I believe there are some Nehemiahs and Davids watching right now. You could live an ordinary, average life, but you're fighting for others. You're investing in causes bigger than yourself. Making sacrifices to help those around you. You can't help others without God helping you. That cause doesn't come by itself. It's connected to a crown. You're gonna experience favor, influence, opportunities, that your family has not seen. You're going to come out of the ordinary into the uncommon, the unusual, into resources that you never imagined. It's not about seeking your crown. It's about finding your cause. Where is a giant you can defeat? Where is a lunch you can take to your brothers? Where is a wall you can rebuild? If you'll find the cause, the crown will come.

An abundant life starts on the inside and works its way out. You should be your biggest encourager because your happy, healthy life can't happen without you. Here are some words to live by. Every day, I choose joy. God has me in the palm of his hand. I never have to worry. As a child of God, I am unoffendable and quick to forgive. I forgive because I am forgiven. As the scripture says:

— I am strong in the Lord and the power of his might.

— in all circumstances, I will bless the Lord, for this is the day he has made.

— God is on the throne. He is ordering my steps. He is providing for my every need.

— I can surrender my worries, my burdens, and all my cares into his hands.

— I look forward to tomorrow, but embrace the present.

— I have grace for today, and God will give me grace for tomorrow when tomorrow comes.

— I'll fight for those who cannot fight for themselves because my God fights for me.

— my rest comes from God. He is the one who restores my soul.

— I am who God says I am, and I will reach my full God-given potential no matter what comes my way. I have everything I need to live an abundant life.

I've made up my mind that I'm going to live cause-driven. I invite you to do the same. Without a cause, it's too easy to give up. Maybe you've already found your cause. Maybe you're already fighting for others. I want to say thank you. Keep doing the right thing. Stay faithful. It's not just for you, you're doing it for your family. You're doing it to advance the kingdom. The scripture says, Jesus endured the pain of the cross, looking forward to the joy that was coming. Because he was focused on the cause, bringing hope and freedom to mankind, he was able to endure the pain of the moment. He did it for you. You were his cause. A cause worth living and dying for. Everything Jesus did was for the cause. Right now, I want to give you an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make you my Lord and Savior. If you prayed that simple prayer, I believe you got born again. I encourage you to get into a good Bible-based church and keep God first place.