Daily Devotional #1,798

I read that Will Rogers once said that now and then he grew tired of the same old surroundings. Then he would  wish for a new place to live and work. He said he would pick some city that sounded attractive. Before he  moved, however, he would subscribe to the leading newspaper in his proposed new home and read that  newspaper for thirty days. Rogers declared that he would always decide not to move. The news from where he  planned to live was no better than the news where he was. Will Rogers was right. Happiness rarely comes from  a change of locations, or a change of mates, or a change of situations of any kind. It is amazing how many  people go through life looking for happiness in all the wrong places. And part of the reason for that is that  everywhere we go…it is the same old us that is there too. I remember once leading a group of Jr. Highers and 
we were getting ready to start and this one girl came up to me with kind of a grumpy look on her face and she  said “Make me have fun!” Couldn’t do it. Joy and happiness are not bound by surroundings. Like Will Rogers  found out…most places have problems. The key is to be able to find joy where you are right now. No place or  situation will ever be totally perfect. The Apostle Paul wrote that he had learned to be content with whatever he  had. And in those times when things were hard, he discovered that he could do everything through Christ who  gave him strength. There are places that are better than others, but if we will take seriously what God says in  his Bible and trust in the Lord…we will find that joy and even happiness. So, like the old saying tells us  “Bloom where you are planted”. You can do that because you can do everything right where you are through  Christ, who gives you and me strength. Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
Proverbs 16:20 NLT Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the LORD will be joyful. 
Remember I’m praying for you…  
PJ