Category Archives: Live Joyfully

Blog posts by Krystal R Simpson cover a variety of topics to help Christians live joyfully without fear, stress, and regret.

Understanding the Gift of Salvation

Posted by Live Joyfully, Forgiveness and Salvation 4 Comments
Understanding the Gift of Salvation

I have recently started reading the entire Bible in one year. It’s interesting that humans tend to want to know everything, yet we struggle with obedience. Reading the story of Adam and Eve, I realized that we might have made the same mistake if we had been in their place. However, I am grateful that God is willing to save us. But my question is, what does it mean to be saved? As Christians, it’s essential to understand the gift of salvation and what it truly means.

Understanding the Gift Of Salvation

Salvation is a concept that the enemy doesn’t want us to understand, and he does not want us to explain to others. I believe God wants all Christians to explain salvation clearly to as many people as possible because it is a gift God wants us to have. Others can not accept this precious gift without understanding the gift of salvation. Most of us avoid explaining salvation to others; the enemy knows it. The enemy convinces us that someone else is the “expert.”

Luke 6:40

As I write this post, I must tell you I have to stop and pray because the enemy is very busy and does not want me to feel comfortable writing these words about salvation. It is easy to think that someone with more authority in the church should explain this idea, but God is challenging me and all of us to share what we have learned about salvation with a world that may not know anything. Sharing what you know may encourage others to attend a church where they can learn more. It may help them to pick up their own Bible. We should all be willing to do anything to point others to Jesus.

What Does it Mean to Accept the Gift of Salvation?

When sin entered the world, it separated us from having a relationship with our Holy God. As a result, we all were born into sin, and no matter how hard we try, we sin against God. We can not “be good” or avoid sin on our own.

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

Romans 5:12 ESV
For the wages of sin is death Scripture

The word “salvation” is synonymous with “redeemed,” “justified,” and “forgiven.” God knew that we were in a hopeless condition, and because He loves us, He sent a way to save us from the death our sin requires. God sent a gift of salvation, which is His son Jesus. Jesus died in our place and created a way for us to have a relationship with God. All we must do is accept the precious gift, and we will be redeemed, justified, and forgiven. It is that easy.

The enemy wants us to believe that salvation is hard. He wants us to think that this gift requires something difficult. The enemy also wants us to feel that we are too far gone, or maybe we should wait. Each of us has to decide to accept Jesus as our Savior. It is a personal decision made individually.

Salvation a cross in the cloud

The Bible teaches that to receive the gift of salvation, we must confess Jesus with our mouths and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead. Whatever our issues or hangups are, God wants to help. He understands and wants to save us from our sins. Jesus died for all of us!

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Romans 10:9 KJV

A Prayer For Salvation

When we pray, we should always speak from our hearts. God knows if we mean what we are saying. He understands that we may think we do not know how to pray. Below is a prayer for salvation. Say it aloud, believing, or say something like this, and you will be saved!

Download-the-printable-prayer
A Prayer for Salvation

I Accept the Gift of Salvation. What Are The Next Steps?

After accepting Jesus and getting saved, celebrate and share your decision with others. The angels are rejoicing in heaven for you. Share your choice for salvation with other believers who will want to welcome you into God’s family. After that, I would recommend the three following steps. Be careful about believing that any of these are optional. 

  1. Pray regularly, asking God to teach, lead, and guide you so that you learn how to live for Him. Prayer is how we communicate with God, and we want to open our hearts to Him and allow Him to help us in every area of our lives.
  2. Going to a loving, Bible-preaching local church is essential to continue learning more about God, Jesus, and what the Bible says. You should be willing to attend a local church to bring your gifts and talents to the church. You will be an encouragement to others, and you will be learning alongside a church family.
  3. Get baptized according to Bible teaching. Some feel that baptism is not necessary. I am not sure why because baptism is biblical. Being lowered into the water symbolizes that our old life is buried. When we rise out of the water, it represents Jesus’ resurrection and that we have been given a new life in Christ.
I confess and believe girl praying

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What Does it Really Mean to Trust God?

Posted by Live Joyfully, Trust In God 15 Comments
What Does it Really Mean to Trust God?

Christians often say, “Don’t worry, trust God,” but most of the time, we mean, “Be patient.” We understand that we must trust God’s timing, but many of us use this saying to keep praying while waiting for God to do what we want. When God asks us to trust Him, He asks us for more than our patience. So, what does it mean to trust God?

What Does it Really Mean to Trust God

As Christians, we know that we need to have faith and trust in God, but I am convinced that we do not fully understand what it means to trust God. The definition of trust is a firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. I believe that God wants to make this critical idea plain and simple.

If we trust in God, we must firmly believe in God’s ability and not our own. There are three critical areas in which we are to trust God.

  1. Trust God and His Wisdom
  2. Trust God and His Love
  3. Trust God and His Plan
Trust God

Trust God and His Wisdom

Adam and Eve were privileged to have God walk with them. They could have trusted the wisdom of God and left the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil alone, but they did not. So here we are, still trying to get things right. We are all like Adam and Eve in that we struggle to obey. We are still trying to rely on our thoughts and understanding, but we must trust God and His wisdom.

If we trust God and His wisdom, there will be times when God’s intentions do not align with our thoughts and desires. Sometimes, we ask God for something and feel that He is not responding. God asks us to trust his wisdom, even when the answer is not what we think is best. We must trust God and His wisdom and timing by surrendering to Him and not holding on to what we think we know.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart Proverbs 3:5

We must accept that God knows much more than we do. Even when bad things happen, and we do not understand how God works, He asks us to trust. Imagine when Jesus died on the cross; our human minds would have seen this as the end, but in God’s wisdom, it was a new beginning. Through Jesus and the knowledge of God, we have the gift of salvation.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:8-9 KJV

Trust God and His Plan

We must trust God and His plan. From the beginning of time, God had an idea. He had a plan for this world, Jesus, and us. God is asking us to trust Him. God’s ultimate plan is so good that we cannot imagine what God has in store for us.

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

1 Corinthians 2:9 KJV
Trust

No matter what today looks like, God can turn things around, suddenly or slowly. He can give you the desires of your heart or exceed your expectations. Trust Him and give Him the wheel, invite Him to work in your life, and help you live out His plan.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

Trust God and His Love

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16 KJV
cross and Bblle

Many of us may have heard the scripture: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). However, it’s essential that we let some of the words soak in and truly understand the depth of God’s love. He demonstrated His love for us even in times of pain and suffering. It can be easy to feel God’s love when things are going well, but we must learn to trust His love even amid pain and tears. Sometimes, He may work in ways we can’t understand, but we must hold onto our faith in Him and know that one day, He will wipe away all our tears.

A Prayer To Trust God

God calls us to trust His wisdom, plan, and love. Be careful not to rely on your blessings, such as your education, riches, and ability. Learn to depend on God. Here is a printable prayer to help you trust God. Read this prayer aloud or in your heart, and believe He hears you.

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A prayer to trust God

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Overcome Procrastination and Fear

Posted by Live Joyfully, Trust In God Leave a Comment
Overcome Procrastination and Fear

Procrastination and fear are two of the most common obstacles people face. They can keep us from achieving our goals and living our best lives. But there are ways to overcome them. We must learn the three main ways that the enemy sends procrastination and fear and how to combat them with the help of God.

As we go through the year, for many of us, there are always a few items we can’t quite check off our list. While it feels great to complete a project, sometimes it can be a struggle because we have not learned to stop procrastinating. Often, what causes us to procrastinate is fear. God will help us move forward and overcome procrastination and fear when we admit that we need help and ask. Simply put, it’s time to recognize these obstacles and equip ourselves to take action and realize our dreams.

Overcome Procrastination and Fear

We all have that “one thing” we must do this year. For some, it is to get healthy and kick some bad habits. To others, it is to go back to something, like school or church. The one thing that needs to change may involve starting something new, like a business or career. Whatever it is, I am here to encourage you as I motivate myself.

Procrastination and fear try to keep Christians from God’s blessings. As Christians, we must guard against procrastination and fear every time it occurs. The enemy wants us to avoid taking action by causing us to perceive that a task is too complex, time-consuming, or costly. When we know that God is pushing us to do something and not do it, we are not obedient. God will bless obedience, and He will help us when we try.

Overcome Procrastination

The tasks we try to avoid are probably the most important to our destiny and blessings. That is the reason the enemy is trying to stop us. The enemy wants to trap and convince us that we can’t, shouldn’t, and won’t succeed. We must learn how to overcome procrastination and fear. We must learn to take steps of faith rather than be paralyzed by procrastination and fear.

Every Accomplishment Begins with the Decision to Start

How the Enemy Sends Procrastination and Fear

There are three main ways that the enemy sends procrastination and fear. First, the enemy sends anxiety and doubt. The enemy tries to paralyze us with negative thoughts to stop us from taking a step in the right direction. I think of this type of procrastination as my “what if” trap.

When we look at only the negatives, such as “What if I do not do well?” or “What if I don’t get the job,” we can use these thoughts as the reason not to try. We have to look at the positive. We should think, “What if I succeed,” and “What if this opportunity is the answer to my prayers.” Positive thoughts are always better than negative ones.

Dont let doubt, anxiety, and negative thoughts keep you from your blessings

A second way to procrastinate is by having poor time management. Waiting and putting off tasks is easy when we have plenty of time. Sometimes, we falsely believe we have plenty of time, so we wait. Poor time management will cause us to misjudge how long a task will take.

Instead of thinking that a project will be quick, we sometimes envision the job as too time-consuming and complicated. If the tasks seem daunting, it is easy to find ourselves doing what we consider fun rather than taking the time to complete the job. The enemy sends distractors to keep us off-task and procrastinating.

I must work the works of him that sent me

Lastly, the third way the enemy causes procrastination is rooted in a lack of faith. Sometimes, we do not want to start something until we feel assured we will succeed. We must be willing to take a step when God nudges us, even when unsure of the outcome.

Overcome procrastination and trust God

Sometimes, we feel the urge to take action, but we may not understand its reason. However, we cannot wait until everything becomes clear. Instead, we should trust and believe that God is always with us. We should let God guide us in the right direction. When God asks us to step in faith, He may not reveal our entire path. Instead, He might show us only the next step we must take. If we wait for every detail, we are not walking in faith but procrastinating.

Be Blessed and Overcome Procrastination and Fear

Sometimes, God is trying to bless us, but the enemy is trying to block the blessing. The enemy loves to convince us that we can’t, but that is when we must dig deep. We must reach for God’s truths, not the enemy’s lies and discouragement. Taking faith will help us be blessed and overcome procrastination and fear.

Excuses or Blessings?

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Philippians 4:13

A Prayer to Overcome Procrastination and Fear

Whether it is the beginning of a new year or not, we must pray as we begin a task to overcome procrastination and fear. Praying is a weapon to remind the enemy that we believe God is on our side. God’s grace and Spirit will help us be successful when we ask. Trust that God has been and will always be good to us.

Overcome procrastination A prayer for the new year

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The Gift of Prayer: 5 Points to Remember

Posted by Live Joyfully, How To Pray 2 Comments
The Gift of Prayer: 5 Points to Remember

Anyone who knows me will say that I am quite the talker. In my house, my spouse usually receives my many words. My loving husband listens to my hopes, dreams, and frustrations. As understanding as my husband is, there is generally a limit to his ability to listen. I am sure others can relate. Thankfully, we have the opportunity to share everything with God. He has given us the gift of prayer.

The Gift of Prayer 5 Points to Remember

As we celebrate Christmas and are thankful for many gifts, we must be grateful for Jesus Christ. The birth and death of our Savior is why we can now pray to God the Father and know He hears us. Jesus came and died to remove the barrier of sin that separated us from God. Now, we can have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Prayer is how we communicate with God, and it is a gift.

Praying to God is like talking to someone who never gets tired of listening and promises to help when we pray. Prayer works, and it is a special gift from God. Praying is crucial, and we should build prayer into an everyday routine. We need to know how to pray to create a better prayer life. Just remember these five points:

  1. Prayer is a conversation with God.
  2. There are many reasons to pray.
  3. Be yourself when you pray.
  4. Prayer should be a two-sided conversation.
  5. Praying becomes easier with practice.

Prayer is a Conversation with God

Just like we have conversations daily with others, praying should be something we often do. Think about how we communicate with a friend, companion, or spouse. We often tell these trusted few the good, the bad, and the ugly. Great relationships rely on good communication, which should occur frequently.

Prayer is one of God's many gifts to us

There are Many Reasons to Pray

Like there are many reasons to have conversations, there are many reasons to pray. I can get busy in my house and forget to do something my husband has asked, so sometimes the conversation starts with me saying, “I’m sorry,” again! I am sure there are times I need to tell God sorry, too. I ask God to forgive me for anything I might have done, thought or said is not okay. I know He has also given us the gift of forgiveness, for which I am thankful.

Sometimes, everything is going great, and I want to praise God. Prayer allows me to thank God for his gifts, such as my family, friends, and health and strength. Knowing how essential words of gratitude are to me helps me remember that God deserves to hear my thanks, too.

When-Trouble-Has-You-Down-winter-1

There are times when everything is not perfect. There are occasions when I feel sad, frustrated, or confused. God invites me to access the gift of prayer and talk to Him no matter what. God wants a relationship with me, and He is not a fair-weathered friend. He will be with me through it all. Although it is nice to speak to my spouse, God has the strength and ability to change the situation. So why would I not run to God in prayer?

Be Yourself When You Pray

Remember that no two conversations are ever alike. Although we were given the Lord’s Prayer as a guide, prayer is talking to God as an individual, and God wants you to be yourself and authentic. He doesn’t want you to memorize and repeat the same prayer repeatedly. God also doesn’t want us to keep going on as a way of calling attention to ourselves publicly.

“But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.”

Matthew 6:7 KJV

Prayer Should be a Two-Sided Conversation

Prayer and all good conversations must be two-sided, meaning one person can not do all the talking. My husband reminds me of this because he sometimes says I am doing ALL the talking. The Bible is God’s Word to us, and when we incorporate what the Bible says, it is like letting God know that you are listening to His side, too. Knowing what the Bible says also helps us pray within God’s will.

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

1 John 5:14-15 KJV

When we pray and say things like, “God, you promised to hear me when I pray, and I need some help right now with …..” I like to think that it shows God that I am reading my Bible and remembering what he said. I remind God of his promises to me, almost like telling my spouse of a promise made. I know God likes to answer our prayers, especially when we pray for things consistent with His Word. We need to pray more often.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12

Praying Becomes Easier with Practice

Imagine the first conversation you had with a close friend or companion. It may have felt awkward, and you may have struggled to be yourself, unsure how they would react. As time passed, you likely became more relaxed and comfortable communicating with that person. You could share anything with them without fear of judgment or misunderstanding. Similarly, God understands you as no one else can, and speaking to Him can become easier with practice. Trust Him as your confidant and friend.

A Prayer at Christmas

I wrote this prayer at Christmas time and hope it is a blessing to all who read it. Even when it is not Christmas time, prayer is still important. We should always be willing to thank God for our blessing and ask God to continue to bless us and others.

A Prayer at Christmas

4 Simple Prayers to Help Pray Often Printable

When something seems complicated, ask God for help. I have created a printable of four simple prayers as a simple gift to help you. Use these as a guide to help as you learn to pray from your heart. Remember, there are no right words, only right hearts. Pray from the heart.

Pray More

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Deal with Anger Without Losing Joy

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Deal with Anger Without Losing Joy

As Christians, we must deal with anger without losing joy. Being angry is dangerous. The word anger is only one letter shy of “danger.” Sometimes, we get mad, but we must be careful not to let our rage become a weapon the enemy uses to attack us or others. We must deal with anger without losing joy.

Deal with Anger Without Losing Joy

The enemy wins if he can get us so angry that we misbehave, do something we shouldn’t do, or say something we can not take back. We must watch out for anger so we are not guilty of hurting others. Sometimes we get angry. It happens to all of us.


Imagine some of the terrible consequences that can occur if you do not deal with anger without losing your joy. If you get angry at your job, you could say something or do something that causes you to lose your job. If you get mad at your spouse, you can lose a day or days with bad feelings and not talk to each other. The enemy wants to steal your joy in any way he can. Do not let him do it!

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour

Don’t Let Anger Cause You to Lose Peace and Joy

You lose your peace and joy when your emotions and thoughts are angry. It is impossible to be angry and joyful at the same time. If the enemy can make you angry, you may become unforgiving. That unforgiveness will lead to bitterness and further destruction, which would be hazardous to your spiritual health.


The enemy will tell you that your anger is justified. He will tell you that everyone would be mad about the situation. He is trying to get you to become enraged. The enemy wants you to be so angry that you lose control. You may have a right to be angry, but how you deal with the anger is the difference between dealing with it God’s way or the enemy’s way. We should not want anything to cause us to lose peace and joy.

Deal with Anger

Deal With Anger Without Losing Your Joy by Praying

Praying is the first step in dealing with anger without losing your joy. Being angry is not the time to avoid prayer. Instead, being mad should remind us how much we need God to help us. We should deal with anger without losing joy by praying.


We should pray about everything, including when we are angry. We should try to settle the situation rather than let it fester. Sometimes, all we can do is pray. Praying and venting to a mighty God who can handle everything is much more helpful than unloading some unsuspecting humans.

Be angry and do not sin

When we pray, we should ask God how to handle the situation. he may lead us to speak with the person, but he can also fix the situation without saying a word. I can recall recently when a family member spoke harshly to me. I was angry because I felt misunderstood. I wanted to lash out, but I did not. I just prayed. The following day, when I looked at my cell phone, I received a text from the person who offended me asking for forgiveness. God worked it out, which was an answer to prayer. Prayer works.

Deal With Anger Without Losing Your Joy by Forgiving

We must deal with anger without losing joy by offering forgiveness to others. We must be able to forgive whether or not the person we are angry with apologizes. Perhaps the person that you are mad at is merely going through pain at home, and they inadvertently took it out on you. We must take those negative thoughts captive and instead give grace and mercy. God understands and gives us grace, but we must extend it to others. We have to be willing to forgive as we have been forgiven (Matthew 6:14)

Deal with Anger Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us

We should forgive others for what may feel like a personal attack by understanding that the enemy will use whomever he can to come against us. Release the person by asking God to help. Give your emotions to God and pray until you feel his love. Resist the negative thoughts, and they will flee.

A Prayer To Deal With Anger

I prayerfully write a prayer to go along with each post. Let’s pray and ask God to help us deal with feelings of anger. He hears us when we pray and will answer us when we pray.

Download-the-printable-prayer
A Prayer to Deal with Anger

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A Joyful Attitude Doesn’t Complain

Posted by Christian Living, Live Joyfully 6 Comments
A Joyful Attitude Doesn’t Complain
A Joyful Attitude Doesn't Complain

One of the classroom teachers in a school where I work is a baseball fan, and in her room, there is a bulletin board with a baseball glove and baseballs around it. When I noticed her bulletin board, I was sitting in on a mandatory in-service, and the information did not seem relevant to me as a speech-language pathologist. The bulletin board read, “Attitudes are contagious. Is yours worth catching?” At that moment, my attitude was less than joyful, so I sat there, wondering how I could catch a more joyful attitude.

Is your Attitude Worth Catching

Later in the day, while at home, I read a Bible study, and the word attitude met my eyes again. At this point, I realized there was a pattern here, and I might need to listen up! I believe God knows how to get our attention, and He pointed out that I needed to stop and check my attitude. God speaks to us and knows how to help us listen.

The truth is, I was finding myself overwhelmed by my workload. My work responsibilities were carrying over into my already busy home life. I wanted a joyful attitude, but busyness was sapping my joy. I found that I was complaining. I believe I was complaining, even during my prayer time, which is why God had to get my attention. Even though I was overloaded, and my complaining seemed justified, God was helping me understand that complaining is not how he would want me to deal with the situations.

Choose a Joyful Attitude Instead of Complainin

JOY acrostic Keep a joyful attitude

Complaining is a way of letting others know you are overloaded, but it does nothing more and decreases everyone’s joy. Just because I am not in a good mood, I should not become a killjoy for everyone else. I wanted to do better, so I needed to figure out how to maintain a joyful attitude and avoid complaining.

J – Jesus, O – Others, Y – Yourself. I love this acrostic.

To keep a joyful attitude, we should always put Jesus first, others second, and ourselves last.

If we are hyper-focused on ourselves, it is easy to spend too much energy fighting what God may be trying to do. God may be trying to use us to help others, but instead of putting ourselves last, we complain as if our comfort is most important. We must remember that the situations we find ourselves in, even at work, maybe God-designed. By changing our focus, we will trust that God has a plan and will work everything out for our good. We have to believe that God has everything figured out. We have to cultivate a joyful attitude and stop complaining.

Attitude matters. Do all things without murmurings or disputings

As we complain to others about our situation, we seek sympathy or want someone else to know about our struggles, but why? The Bible tells us not to do things with murmuring (Philippians 2:14 KJV). We damage our ability to witness to others regarding God’s goodness. No one wants to listen to complainers, and we are supposed to be the ones with faith. Even if we speak to a friend, we leave them with dampened spirits as we walk away. We need to think about others and how our actions will affect them.

Pray and Ask God to Help With our Attitude

Whenever we realize a problem, we pray and ask God to help. God sometimes places us in situations to help us grow and to build our faith. Sometimes, those situations may seem hard. Rather than complaining, we should pray to know God’s will and ask God how we should handle every situation.

In-thy-presence-is-fullness-of-joy

We do not have a joyful attitude because all is well or everything is going as planned. Having a joyful attitude that doesn’t complain is a choice. We must be joyful despite our circumstances because we are thankful, and God can.

The opposite of complaining is praising. We should begin by praising God for his many blessings when we pray. Even in the presence of difficulty, we should be able to be thankful.

A Prayer For a Joyful Attitude

Prayer helps us to have a joyful attitude. We have to be joyful rather than complainers, which is sometimes challenging. When we pray, we are reminded who is in control, and we can give all our feelings of frustration to a God who loves us and can help us through every situation.

A-Prayer-For-a-Joyful-Attitude

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Authentic Christian or a Hypocrite?

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Authentic Christian or a Hypocrite?

If asked whether we are authentic Christians or a hypocrite, we should strive to say that we are authentic, but what does that mean? To be authentic means that we are not false but real, genuine, and true to one’s beliefs.

Authentic Christian or a Hypocrite

The opposite of being authentic is being a hypocrite. One definition of a hypocrite is someone who pretends to have certain beliefs, attitudes, or feelings they do not possess. They are “pretenders.” There is also another form of hypocrisy. The other type of hypocrisy is looking down on others as if we have forgotten that we are also flawed.

As Christians, we are called to live like Christ. In the Bible, during Jesus’ ministry, the religious leaders were guilty of being hypocrites. Jesus did not act this way, and He spoke harshly against hypocrites. Jesus clarifies that what matters is how we treat others and what is inside, not how others perceive us.

Each of us can be hypocritical. We must guard against any tendency to try and impress others. We must also resist any desire to look down on others. We all need Jesus, and even after we have found him, we will continue to need Him. The life of an authentic Christian should point others to Jesus, who is the only one who can help.

An Authentic Christian life should point others to Jesus

Authentic Christians should not try to impress others; we should exemplify the gospel message. The real message of the Gospel is that Jesus saves. We must strive to live as authentic Christians and not as a hypocrite.

Authentic Christians Resist Pride and Arrogance

The word hypocrite is a loaded word often used to describe people who pretend to be more spiritual than others. After getting saved, a person may desire to live what they think is a Christian life but have some struggles. An authentic Christian resists pride and arrogance at all times.

Pride-Goes-before-Destruction

Wanting to fit in with a church community may cause someone to “pretend” to have it all together as they try to “look” or “act” spiritually or religiously. As authentic Christians, we should resist trying to look or act as if we strive to impress others. A real Christian’s life should reflect love, humility, and forgiveness.

Authentic Christians resist walking in pride and arrogance because these are some of the enemy’s favorite tactics. The enemy would rather see us try to look religious than ask God to help us live the Christian life.

“The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.”

Psalms 10:4 KJV
Stay Authentic

Authentic Christians recognize the need to stay close to God in prayer, knowing that it is impossible to live a Christian life on our own without the help of God. God knows that we need His help and wants us to accept His help. The hypocrite is happy, pretending, and does not seek God.

Authentic Christians Show Love and Are Not Judgmental

God calls us to love one another and not to judge one another. We should only judge ourselves and do our best to live as Christ has called us. We are to love others as ourselves and show mercy, kindness, and compassion to others just as God reveals it to us. Authentic Christians show love and are not judgmental.

Thou-Shalt-Love-Thy-neighbor-as-thyself

Authentic Christians realize the impact of a kind word and a smile. They also understand the harm that can come when others feel excluded, less than, or unreachable. God sent his son to save the lost; we should always reflect that simple truth in everything we say and do.

Authentic Christians Understand Forgiveness 

God calls us to live a surrendered life, which means we give up our old ways in exchange for His will. God understands this is a process; we may struggle, and He intends to help us. We should try to do our best and ask Him for help. He does not call any of us to live a life of perfection because God wants us to be authentic and not a hypocrite.

Forgiveness

Sometimes, despite our best efforts, the enemy gets the best of us. Perhaps we make the wrong choice and do or say something we regret. We must be willing to ask for and accept forgiveness. We ask God to forgive us, but we must also be quick to offer forgiveness to others. We must understand that the enemy tries to tempt us all, and we all need forgiveness. Authentic Christians understand asking for, giving, and receiving forgiveness.

“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”

Galatians 6:1 KJV

A Prayer to Be An Authentic Christian

To live as an authentic Christian, we need to love God, love our neighbor, and follow the example of Jesus. Being authentic may sound simple, but it can be challenging. Let’s pray a prayer to help us always be authentic Christians.

A prayer to be an Authentic Christian

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The Best Way to Handle Work Stress

Posted by Live Joyfully, Trust In God 3 Comments
The Best Way to Handle Work Stress

Do you know how to handle work stress God’s way properly? I had to learn this year as I started a new school year. The beginning of every school year is always a little stressful, but this year, my job changed. Instead of providing speech services to just one elementary school, now, I travel and service two elementary schools. I am thankful to serve new students, meet new staff, and spread the love of Christ to new parents, but a job change can be stressful. No matter what, I know God wants me to live in faith, not fear. God does not want us to worry; He wants us to trust Him.

Best-Way-to-Handle-Work-Stress

Handle Work Stress with Prayer and Trust in God

To handle work stress, we must pray. When we pray about work stress, we often want God to change the situation and relieve our stressors. Perhaps we work with a problematic person and want God to fix them. Rather than moving the mountain, God frequently wants to strengthen us so that we can handle the climb. Better yet, sometimes, God wants us to pray for that person and show His grace and mercy rather than move that person out of our path.

Choose-Faith-over-Fear for handling work stress

No matter what, we must trust God, obey His Word, and follow Jesus. We start by believing God is in control and always on our side. We must trust that God is bigger than any situation and believe that He will help in the way He sees best.

Handle Work Stress with Scriptures

Trust-God Obey His Word and Follow His son to handle work stress

God speaks to us through His word. As we say our prayers, God often brings scripture to mind to give us the strength we need. These scriptures help us handle work stress well.

It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.

Deuteronomy 31:8 ESV

Dismayed is a word that appears in the Bible, meaning discouraged, disheartened, or depressed in spirit. God does not want us to fear or be dismayed. He wants us to know He goes before us and will not leave us. God is there with us wherever we go and will help us handle work stress or whatever we face. He is our biggest cheerleader and fan.

Scripture for handing work stress

God commands us to be strong. That means we can not let anything like work stressors cause us to be frightened, worried, or distressed. Whenever we are tempted to worry, we must remember and find comfort in knowing God is always with us.

Handle Work Stress Joyfully

As Christians, we should always choose joy. After praying and meditating on God’s word, we must remember to handle work stress joyfully. Working around stressed and overworked people makes it easy to notice those who manage to keep it all together with a smile.

I choose to Radiate Positivity to handle work stress

If you are like me, you try not to spend too much time on those who spend every day complaining and whining. It is because it tends to begin to pull you down. Work is where we spend lots of time, but we should want to stay positive. There may always be something to complain about at work, but what good does that do?

A Prayer To Handle Work Stress

When fellow workers see Christians acting less than favorable, it can cause others to question our faith. We have to speak words of hope in every situation. Believe that if God says He is there with you, He is. Believe that whatever the work stress is, it will pass. Pray in faith and permit God to fix the situation however he considers best.

A prayer to Handle work stress
A Prayer to Handle Work Stress

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How to Deal with Negative People and Harsh Words

Posted by Live Joyfully, Christian Living 5 Comments
How to Deal with Negative People and Harsh Words

Dealing with people in any capacity means we are sometimes subjected to negativity and harsh words. Negativity can come from family members, supervisors, or colleagues. As Christians, we must understand how to deal with negative people and harsh words to address negativity in ways that do not conflict with our profession of faith. We must be mindful of how Christ would want us to handle difficult situations. In other words, we must deal with negative people just as Jesus would. There are prayerful ways to deal with negative people and harsh words so the enemy doesn’t win.

How to Deal with Negative People and Harsh Words

Deal with Negative People and Harsh Words by Praying

Whenever we face an upsetting situation, especially when negative people say harsh words, we must not react with our first inclination but pray first. It is better to isolate ourselves and pray to God. Tell God the situation and how you feel. He cares and will help us calm down and decide what to do next.

Negative people Don't let negativity spoil your day

The enemy wants to catch us off-guard so that he can cause us to be angry and maybe say something that we should not say or do something we should not do. The enemy wants to destroy the witness that we have as Christians. He wants us to lose it so that he causes others to view us as hypocrites. The best thing we can do is pray rather than react.

Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:21 KJV

Pray that God Blesses the Negative Person

Praying first allows me to place the person who mistreated me and my feelings about the person into what I call a prayer bubble. A prayer bubble means I pray for my enemy (the person who has spoken negatively) by explicitly asking God to bless them. I assume they may not know the Lord from their actions, and I ask God to send them his love. I pray that God reaches and saves the person who has been negative or has spoken harsh words to me.

No matter the problem, just give it to Go

When I pray for the person who has upset me, it feels like I am blowing the situation God’s way in a prayer bubble so that God can deal with it. It allows me to release the hurt and the anger in prayer and prevents me from allowing the occurrence to ruin my entire day. We must envelop the situation in prayer, knowing that it was an attack from the enemy, not from a person.

Pray to Know How to Deal With Negative People as God Directs

When we pray before dealing with negativity, we can better determine what God would want us to do next. Sometimes, after prayer, there is a feeling that we should do nothing except let God fight our battles. Other times, God directs us to address the issues without coming unglued. Praying for yourself and letting God speak to your heart is essential.

God can give us the ability to speak kindly or send a calm email even though we are upset, or He can lead us to talk to someone who can help. The critical thing to remember is not to give in to the enemy and retaliate negatively. We must not forget that God will fight our battles.

27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

Luke 6:27-28 NIV
Pray for yoursel and pray for others

A Prayer To Deal With Negative People and Harsh Words

There is strength in numbers. When we are upset by different situations, Christian friends may be able to help. A Christian friend can help by sharing a scripture or a testimony to remind us that God will take care of the situation. We should seek out friends who will help us positively navigate the situation.

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A prayer to Deal with Negative People and Harsh Words

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How Seeking Acceptance From Others Can Steal Your Joy

Posted by Live Joyfully, Christian Living 6 Comments
How Seeking Acceptance From Others Can Steal Your Joy

Do you remember the middle-school age years? I am sure I will date myself when I say that my teen years included trying to talk like a Valley Girl, flipped-up collars, guess jeans, and Izod polos. I remember countless hours spent in the mirror getting ready for school. Walking through the middle school hallway as a cool, got-it-all-together teenager took a lot of preparation. Although this walk down memory lane can cause some to chuckle, the truth is that many people still live their lives in a way that causes them to seek acceptance and approval from others, and it is stealing their joy.

How Seeking Acceptance From Others can Steal your joy

God created each of us, and it is not His will that we worry more about what others think of us than He thinks of us. We do not have to fit into anyone’s group or social circle. We have all been personally invited to be a part of the best clique ever created – God’s family. All we have to do is accept this invitation. In the Bible days, many cared more about acceptance from people and social status.

42 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved human praise more than praise from God.

John 12:42-43 NIV
Stop seeking acceptance

Wanting the approval of others can lead us down some slippery slopes. If we head down the unhealthy path of seeking acceptance from others, we may find ourselves walking along roads that take our joy and peace. We may even fall into sin, which is not what God would want for us. God tells us to focus on pleasing Him and not man. Let’s look at the trouble we can get into if we are not careful.

Seeking Acceptance From Others Steals Our Joy By Causing Anxiety

Anxiety happens when we worry needlessly about the opinions of others and not the view of God. As women, we often worry about our looks. We worry about being skinny enough, pretty enough, or fashionable enough. Of course, it is okay to want to get in shape, look beautiful, or remain trendy, but these things should not consume us. We must be careful not to seek acceptance from others to the point that it causes anxiety.

We must look in the mirror, knowing God created us in His image. Even though we may be dealing with aging skin, gray hair, extra weight, or clothes that don’t fit the way they used to, we still should find our approval through God’s eyes because we know He looks at our hearts and loves us completely.

Accepted in the Beloved Ephesians 1:6

Seeking Acceptance From Others Can Lead to Feelings of Depression

Understand that it is tough to win approval and acceptance from other people. Even if you gain acceptance for a moment, it isn’t easy to maintain the approval for the long haul. Trying to feel important, accepted, respected, and approved of by others can cause us to lose our joy and lead to feelings of depression.


Often, with people, the idea of what is acceptable and what is not changes frequently. Thankfully, God does not change. Why should we wear ourselves out trying to fit into the latest idea of acceptance? If we chase acceptance from others as something to be gained, we will end up feeling like we missed it. Then, the enemy will add to that by telling us we are not good enough.

If we open the door, the enemy will feed us a whole spiel about our worthlessness. He will gladly be in our company as we are socially isolated and depressed. We must be careful about seeking acceptance from others and only seek God’s approval if we want to be children of God.

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God_ Or am I trying to please man_ If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Seeking Acceptance From Others Can Lead to Sin

Seeking acceptance and approval from others can lead to sin. When trying to impress others, we may find ourselves slipping into sins, such as lying or stretching the truth, just to be liked. To fit in and maintain acceptance, we may be tempted to exaggerate to make ourselves look good in other people’s eyes. We may find ourselves guilty of simple things, such as giving an insincere compliment or lying, which are sins.

If we pretend to know something that we do not because we fear looking less than others, or if we spread gossip to gain attention, we are sinning. Seeking acceptance from others can leave us jealous and covetous, which is also a sin. Finally, if we value a particular person’s opinion of us over God’s opinion, we may be slipping into idolatry.

Choose Joy

Avoid Seeking Acceptance From Others, Choose Joy Instead

Standing firm in your faith means that sometimes, your ideas will not be accepted. Sometimes, you will have to be different. Perhaps you are the only one who doesn’t drink at the company party. If you let God be first, you will be the only one with genuine joy at the party.

9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.

2 Corinthians 5:9 ESV

You must make up your mind to respect your views, which should reflect your faith in God more than the opinions of others. You must know that no person can validate or take your value away. You must understand that you were “fearfully and wonderfully made,” God accepts you now and always as a member of his family as long as you have accepted His invitation of salvation.

A Prayer to Stop Seeking Acceptance From Others

Only God’s approval matters. We need to know that He loves us, and we never have to let seeking acceptance from others steal our joy. This prayer was written to help us ask God to help us in this area. I pray that it is a blessing.

Click-Here-to-Download-the-printable-prayer
A Prayer to Stop Seeking Acceptance from others

Need more scriptures to help you in this area? I found a complete list of scriptures related to seeking acceptance and approval. I have listed the site and its author below. Be blessed.

The author who compiled the list is Editor Stephen Smith. Publication date: Oct 19, 2019. Publisher: OpenBible.info. https://www.openbible.info/topics/approval

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