What Constitutes Your Well-Being?

There are many factors in each of our lives that constitute our well-being or "sanity."

Here is a list of questions I thought of that might be helpful to consider:

• What constitutes you having a poor self esteem?  Being okay in life?  Feeling at ease?
• What about your life do you believe would build your self image if it were added or taken away?
• What negative or bombarding thoughts do you rehearse again and again in your mind?
• Could it be possible that you have come to believe these things about yourself simply because of repeating them time and again in your mind?  Like a quote I once heard which said something to the effect of, "Tell a lie long enough, often enough, and loud enough and people will believe it."
• How often do you read God's word?  Do you see the importance of this discipline in correcting our view of ourselves, others, a lack of trust or faith in God, dealing with our perspective, and ability to rest in God and cope with life?
• Do you understand the principle of, "Garbage in, garbage out"?  If we rehearse negative, hurtful, mean, and degrading thoughts about ourselves and others continually, how would we possibly have a positive view of them or us?  Our attitude, actions (or lack of them), disinterest, words, behavior, seclusion, or anger will be the result of thoughts long dwelt upon.
• What are you angriest about at this time in your life?  Is it due to disappointment or being let down by others?  Lack of reconciliation in a relationship?  Loneliness?
• What is it that you fear about the future?  Loss?  Lack of control?  Bad health?  Problems?  Getting older?
• Do you take life one day at a time, realizing that, "I am who I am today because of the choices I made yesterday" (this works both for our ill and our benefit and growth) or are you so busy looking into the future and wanting the future to be here already that you can't enjoy and learn or grow in the present?
• What one aspect of your life, if taken away, would make you feel as though life could not go on?  Would you be willing to accept this "new season" of life and be dependent upon God to carry you through it?
• Do you believe that God is able to bring good out of any situation?  Do you believe He always has your best interest at heart?
• Do you see life with God as a joyful adventure and journey that you are gratefully going along for the ride with or do you find yourself always questioning why this or that happened, why so and so is blessed in so many ways and you aren't, or why life never seems to go quite how you desire?
• What brings you a sense of security?
• What brings you contentment in life?  Is it outward possessions, close friendships, money, sex, pornography, drugs, alcohol, partying, or traveling?  Or do you find contentment in resting in the truth that God holds your life in its entirety in His precious and faithful hands and your life from start to finish has been allowed or permitted by God in His perfect wisdom...and therefore you can rejoice in all circumstances, trust Him, and praise Him for His goodness and ability to transform your life, teach you lessons, and use your past (or current) experiences to reach others in a similar situation?
• What do you want most in life?  What sort of legacy do you desire to leave?

If readers of the Emma Joy blog would like to share their heart with me on such matters, feel free to write at:  EmmaJoyBlog@gmail.com and I will gratefully listen and graciously seek to point you back to God, His word and character, and even Biblical resources on the topics discussed.  It would be sweet to hear from each of you.