Though right living enhances joy, no person can attain perfect behavior all the time. We must find joy in a source other than our behavior. When would you be able to rejoice and have great joy if it depended on perfect behavior? Striving toward perfectionism you cannot attain, keep, control, or manage may push you…
Pouting and sulking are people’s attempt to get their own way. Pouting is selfishness. Have you ever been around people who sulk or pout? Most of the people I counsel are adults and many are experts at pouting. If I say something in a counseling situation that they do not like, they show their displeasure…
God’s strength needs to become our strength. But, when do you need that to happen? One of the most common times of seeing your weakness is when you try to love somebody you do not like! It is hard to do. You can try. You can do good things for people you do not like. By…
To be in love with somebody is a wonderful experience. I remember dating Elaine. I dreamed about that girl! I used to talk about her all the time and carry her picture in my wallet, and at odd moments, I’d take it out and look at that simple image of her. I had a picture…
Deceit can affect your health. Deceit is the deliberate attempt to mislead someone. Hypocrisy is the pretended possession of those qualities that would make others believe in one’s sincerity, goodness, and devotion. One of the clearest illustrations of deceit was told to me by my friend and mentor Dr. Henry Brandt. I remember him telling…
Deception is a common act of everyday life. It has become so common, many times people don’t even recognize when they are deceptive. In the courtroom, a witness failing to reveal accurately what is on his mind while under oath is perjury or deception. If an action or event that is wrong is in a…
If someone needs correction, who would you prefer to deliver the message? Would you rather it be a humble or arrogant person? Of course we want the humble person, don’t we? It is very difficult to respond positively to an arrogant person. A humble person is a much better choice for delivering a corrective message,…
Pretending happiness is a tough way to live. It takes a lot of energy to keep up this acting lifestyle. George wanted to clear up the gnawing sense of anxiety and growing unhappiness that plagued him, and hoped to do so before anyone else found out about his condition. So he quietly sought professional counseling.…
Imagine responding to pressure, perplexities, persecution, and destruction with a quiet spirit. To experience quietness and peace is indeed a treasure. Maybe you think you need a quiet secluded place to achieve a quiet spirit. But the Spirit of God also has a quieting effect on the body. Of course you do not have to…
Envy is a self-focused problem. Many people are not satisfied with who they are. When they look into a mirror, they don’t see the real “them,” they see what they want to become. This type of envy is harmful to the soul. Proverbs 14:30 states, “A sound heart is life to the body, but…