As free moral agents, we can choose for ourselves how we want to live our lives. This is no small thing. Some people don’t put any thought into this, and their lives end up being unfocused and unfulfilled; others try to make their own decisions using what they learned from the world as a guideline, but consistently make the wrong choices. God gave us life as a beautiful gift of love; living it the way He intends us to, whether we’re single or married, keeps us going in the right direction.

It’s impossible to live life as a gift from God without studying His Word to learn the specifics of how to conduct ourselves in thought and deed. What’s revealed in the Scriptures directly contradicts any negative or pessimistic messages we may hear around us. God loves us and He wants the best for us. “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope’” (Jeremiah 29:11, NLT). This is something to keep in mind when we’re feeling lonely or going through tough times.

Deciding to agree with what God says positions us to receive the good things He wants to give those who believe His Word. Our attitude says a lot about us, and it’s up to us to be as happy and content as we want to be. The realization that it’s okay to enjoy life, regardless of the season we’re in, strengthens us and gives us supernatural joy. “Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).

Joy doesn’t come from any external source; it comes from inside. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior and He comes to live in us, joy is inevitable. This is because true peace and joy come from what we know. “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Being cheerful isn’t the way the world responds to adversity, but having Jesus to guide and direct us gives us a distinct and tremendous advantage over others who don’t know Him.

Most of us have heard the phrase, “stuff happens,” and life has a way of throwing unexpected setbacks and challenges at us; this is to be expected. There are plenty of external factors we can’t control, but we can control how we mentally process something we’re going through. We can decide to let life’s junk derail us, or we can decide to depend on God to help us rise above it. The second alternative greatly enhances the quality of our lives. “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10, NLT).

Learning to think differently is only one of the benefits of meditating on the Scriptures. Allowing the Word to sink down deep inside us enables us to begin to focusing on the positives and ignoring the negatives. “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). An attitude like this empowers us, sets us apart from others, and opens the door to God’s blessings on every level.