JOY
The ancient Egyptians believe that before being granted entrance to heaven you have to answer two questions:
First: Have you found joy in your life?
Second: Was your life a joy to others?
Full Disclojsure: I haven’t read any literature from Egypt, let alone ancient manuscripts from hieroglyphs. I actually got this from the move The Bucket List. If you haven’t seen it, I suggest you watch it, in my opinion, it’s a very good movie.
Have you found joy in your life? I’m not talking about the momentary, fleeting, here now and gone the next, kind of joy. I’m talking about deep, metaphysical, spiritual, God given joy. We can only experience this true joy if we give ourselves to GOD. Sometimes, people would go thru life without thinking about their purpose. Like a log floating aimlessly in a river, they have no desire to steer their own course. They just go with the flow. Doing what’s popular, accepting the social norm. Wearing the popular dress, shoes, T-shirts, because this is what everybody is doing. And its normal.
They work in a job which they don’t really like. They think that this makes them happy for a while. Then they go to another job and another. This go on for months even years. He will never be happy until he finds his purpose the way God meant for him to live. I believe true joy is related to the purpose why God created you. In the bible it was written that you are fearfully and wonderfully made (Proverbs 139:14). You were made in the image and likeness of God. Joy is actually one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit that will bless you and bless your life, if you live your life in accordance with God’s purpose in your life. God created you, and designed you for a specific purpose. A writer once wrote that a person can only achieve true happiness, first when he is born, and second, when he discovers why he is born. Until you discover your purpose, you will never be happy. God created you unique. No man is exactly the same as you. In his Scroll IV, Og Mandino said:
I am nature’s greatest miracle.
Since the beginning of time never has there been another with my mind, my heart, my eyes, my ears, my hands, my hair, my mouth. None that came before, none that live today, and none that come tomorrow can walk and talk and move and think exactly like me. All men are my brothers yet I am different from each. I am a unique creature.
I am nature’s greatest miracle.
Although I am of the animal kingdom, animal rewards alone will not satisfy me. Within me burns a flame, which has been passed from generations uncounted, and its heat is a constant irritation to my spirit to become better than I am, and I will. I will fan this flame of dissatisfaction and proclaim MY UNIQUENESS to the world.
None can duplicate my brush strokes, none can duplicate my chisel marks, none can duplicate my handwriting, none can produce my child, and, in truth, none has the ability to sell exactly as I. Henceforth, I will capitalize on this difference for it is an asset to be promoted to the fullest.
I am nature’s greatest miracle.
Vain attempts to imitate others no longer will I make. Instead I will place my uniqueness on display in the market place. I will proclaim it, yea, I will sell it. I will begin now to accent my differences; hide my similarities. So too will I apply this principle to the goods I sell. Salesman and goods, different from all others, and proud of the differences.
I am a unique creature of nature.
I am rare, and there is value in all rarity; therefore, I am valuable. I am the end product of thousands of years of evolution; therefore, I am better equipped in both mind and body than all the emperors and wise men who preceded me.
But my skills, my mind, my heart, and my body will stagnate, rot, and die lest I put them to good use. I have unlimited potential. Only a small portion of my brain do I employ; only a paltry amount of muscles do I flex. A hundredfold or more can I increase my accomplishments of yesterday and this I will do, beginning today.
Nevermore will I be satisfied with yesterday’s accomplishments nor will I indulge, anymore, in self-praise for deeds which in reality are too small to even acknowledge. I can accomplish far more than I have, and I will, for why should the miracle which produced me end with my birth? Why can I not extend that miracle to my deeds of today?
I am nature’s greatest miracle.
Isn’t it great to know that we Human Beings are the GREATEST MIRACLE WORLD!!! That YOU, as Imperfect as YOU ARE THE GREATEST MIRACLE IN THE WORLD!!! NO KING, NO PROPHET, NO WISEMAN THAT HAS EVER LIVED BEFORE, despite all their decrees, teachings, discoveries, has the ability to know as much as YOU!!! You are the world’s greatest miracle!!!! KNOWING YOUR PURPOSE DECLARE NOW ISTRONGEST VOICE: I AM dTH33dWORLDS GREATEST MIRACLE!!! My Friends, let US SURRENDER to God and the Holy Spirit, Let the Holy Spirt BLESS YOU, BLESS YOUR FAMILIES, AND BLESS THE WORLD !!!.
As to the Second Question: Has your life blessed and brought joy to the world? Have I been a blessing, a joy to the world? With my 35 years in existence, I do not know!!! Save for my wife, my kids, my Mom, I am ashamed to say I don’t know if I have blessed the world!!!
But let not this revelation, discouraged you. I may not be a blessing to the world yet, but I will not let this question discourage me. Please do not let this question discourage you. The man who first conquered Mt. Everest, in his first expedition to conquer, Mt. Everest. He actually failed!!! My friend, Sir Edmund Hillary, and his guide Tenzing Norgay, faced the mountain and said: you may have defeated me this time, but you have stopped growing but I have not. I am still growing!!! You are still growing!!! Let not our current problems distract you!!! Let not the detractors who pretend to be your friends distract you!!! They have stopped growing!!! But by GOD you have Not!!! IN ONE STRONG VOICE, LET US BOLDLY DECLARE: I AM STILL GROWING!!! I WILL ACHIEVE MY PURPOSE!!! And because I am growing, and realizing my purpose, I will bring joy to the world and I will bless World. BECAUSE I AM THIS WORLD’S GREATEST MIRACLE!!!