I. We all want to be happy.
a. Many of us will do whatever it takes to get happy.
i. What people understand that God's intention for our lives is not to suffer.
1. Unfortunately people think that God doesn't want us to be happy so He causes/lets bad things happen.
a. Untrue.
i. God does not want you to suffer.
1. HE WANTS YOU TO BE HAPPY.
a. Proof:
i. Genesis
b. God created everything, and everything He created was good.
i. He created all that for us.
1. But people have lost sight of the fact that everything good in the world is given to us by God
a. James 1:17
i. So then if God's desire is for us to be happy then why aren't we?
1. You are focusing on the wrong thing,
II. Show Unbreakable clip.
a. Bruce Willis' character was fighting against his true nature; who he really is.
i. And for some of us we want to be happy, so we do things for ourselves that will make us happy.
1. There's nothing wrong with that
a. But if that's all you do, you are out of balance.
i. What happens when you are out of balance-you fall over.
2. Think about this:
a. Only in the last thirty years have we been taught about self-esteem.
i. That it comes from loving yourself.
1. But what happens when you only love you?
a. There's no room for anyone else.
i. And we are not meant to be alone.
ii. Genesis 2:18
ii. Yes you have to learn to love yourself, but that simply means being comfortable with who God has made you to be:and that's something good.
III. So how do we get happy?
a. Be comfortable with who God has made you to be.
i. You are unique.
1. Psalm 139:13-14
b. Serve others
i. Lesson from mission trips/service projects.
1. Why we don't want to leave.
ii. God has made us creatures of service.
1. Adam was to take care of his animals and his wife.
iii. God made us like Him.
1. Genesis 1:27
a. God serves us, and we are to be like him.
i. Matthew 20:25
iv. We have it backwards
1. We think that if we first serve ourselves, then we will be happy.
a. Look where that has gotten us.
i. We are the most depressed and angry we've ever been.
1. Matthew 16:25
v. Find a Need and Meet It.
1. Be on the look out for a way to help people.
a. I know that it goes against our selfish human nature.
2. If you're not one to go out of your way by yourself, then do it with someone else.
a. Ex. Habitat for Humanity.
IV. When you choose to live your life for someone other than yourself you will be surprised how happy you will become and BE!

1.Bored with God
a.Many times in our lives we will find ourselves bored with God
i.We no longer are excited to pray, read the Bible or even go to church
1.We've heard it all, seen it all and read it all
2.Dangers of boredom
a.The desire to seek out other things that are "more exciting"
i.Other religions
ii.Drugs
iii.Alcohol
iv.sex
b.Abandonment
i.Abandoning what you once held in high esteem and love
1.Ex. Significant other
2.Faith
c.Closed mind
i.We believe that there is nothing that will stimulate that excitement, so we close our minds.
1.We feel that there can be nothing else.
a.Then we miss something that God is trying to show us-
i.We're looking in the opposite direction.
1.That is why the hare lost to the tortoise.
a.He took a nap, and the tortoise for granted
d.Bitterness
i."Is this all there is?"
3.So what do we do?
a.Shake it up!
i.Try something new
1.Prayer
a.If you pray verbally, try to journal instead("God Blog")
b.If you pray in the morning, pray at night
c.If you don't pray try to pray
2.Bible Reading
a.Try a different translation
b.Just get a different Bible
i.I like change, and am motivated by new things.
c.Ask or come up with new methods of reading
d.Buy a Bible study.
3.Do something out of character
a.Be outgoing
i.If you are not an outgoing person, "force" yourself to make small talk with someone
1.Person at check out counter etc.
4.Do something self-less
i.Do something nice for someone else that has nothing to do with you.
1.Buy a gift for someone you don't get along with
2.Buy a gift for a total stranger
5.Look for the little miracles
i.Sometimes we're looking for the big things, and God doing a lot of little things to spark our excitement and imagination.
6.Do some time traveling
i.Remember what God has done for you
1.So, maybe turning back to God
a.Revelations 2:5
i.Maybe you found yourself bored and ignored[God].
7.But also understand
i.Sometimes we are in a season of boredom.
1.Maybe God just wants to relax and listen
a.We live in a time where it's a sin to be bored. We have to always be doing something.
i.So maybe the cure to the boredom is…Do nothing and wait.
1.Galatians 6:9
a."So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit."

DANGERS OF COMPARING YOURSELVES TO OTHERS

1. How do we compare ourselves to others?
a. We think that we should all have the same strengths
i. 1 Corinthians 12:4
1. Now there are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but it is the same Holy Spirit who is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service in the church, but it is the same Lord we are serving. There are different ways God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work through all of us.
b. We see that some people are popular and well liked, and we look at what they have, and look at ourselves and analyze what we dont have, but what they do.
2. If we always compare ourselves to others, we will always fall short.
a. You were not designed to be like everyone else
i. The people that you are comparing yourself to, do not have the same strengths you do.
1. And it is possible that they are comparing themselves to you.
ii. When you compare yourself to others and find that you dont have what they have your self image/confidence goes down.
1. This is my curse
a. I see the smart, witty people around me, and I see that I dont measure up.
i. But that is not Gods will for my life.
1. He has a specific plan for me.
a. when I compare myself to others, I am essentially saying that He did a sub-par job on me, and a better job on someone else.
b. God has made us all unique and He wants us to live up to the plans that He has for us, not what He has for others.
i. 1 Corinthians 12:12-13
1. Oh, don't worry; I wouldn't dare say that I am as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, and measuring themselves by themselves. What foolishness! 13 But we will not boast of authority we do not have. Our goal is to stay within the boundaries of God's plan for us, and this plan includes our working there with you.
3. So what is the solution?
a. Learn to be comfortable in your own skin.
i. Understand that God has created YOU special, for a special purpose
1. Luke 12:6-7(Message)
a. "What's the price of two or three pet canaries? Some loose change, right? But God never overlooks a single one. And he pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail - even numbering the hairs on your head! So don't be intimidated by all this bully talk. You're worth more than a million canaries.
2. Psalm 8:3-5
a. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? 5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: 7 all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, 8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. 9 O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
3. Jeremiah 1:5
a. Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you.
b. Yeah you are not like everyone else!
i. If God wanted us to be like everyone else, then He wouldve just made one person
c. There is a reason why you have the strengths and weaknesses that you do
i. To reach people that are similar to you; people you can relate to.
1. Jesus was sent into the world as a poor man, because that is who He was called to minister to.
a. Matthew 9:11
d. Be content with your strengths and your weaknesses
i. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
1. So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me. 10 Since I know it is all for Christ's good, I am quite content with my weaknesses and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

I. In every relationship there are things that we are responsible for to make it work.
a.you cant just assume that everything will work itself out
i.there are things we need to do.
1.hang out with the person
2.communicate with he/she
3.be loving
4.be compassionate
5.be trusting
6.be loyal
ii. the same goes for our relationship with God
1.we have to work at it
a.we cant just show up
iwe must be diligent
1.Luke 12:48
a.we have been blessed
i.Jesus died for us.
ii.how will you show him your gratitude
2.Matthew 13:44
a.God has given us a treasure(a relationship with Him) what are you willing to do?
II.Back to Basics)
a.What are the things that will help you cultivate your relationship with God?
1.Prayer
2.Study
3.worship
4.church
5.obedience
a.Deuteronomy 30:10
6.sacrifice
a.Romans 12:1&2
7.love for God and others
b.these are all basic items that will help you grow in God
i.we of course will not get all of these all at once
1.but God looks at the willingness of your heart
a.1 Samuel 16:7
ii. THE LINE IN THE SAND
1.Deuteronomy 30:15
a.are you willing to do what it takes for the greatest relationship you will ever experience?

All of us will enter our stage in our lives when we will feel loneliness.
1. Sometimes we feel lonely when we are by ourselves
2. Sometimes we can feel lonely when we are surrounded by people.
a. The question is how do we approach and deal with the loneliness
b. And secondly is there a purpose behind the way we feel.
3. When I felt the most lonely.
a. When I first moved to this area and throughout high school
i. The first two weeks in school were the worst
1. I was in an enormous high school
2. I had no time to make friends in my neighborhood(moved in at the end of October)
3. I knew no one, no one tried to know me
a. I sat by myself at lunch
b. I sat in the front of the bus
c. I tried to find work during lunch so I wouldnt be myself
ii. Throughout high school I made some semi-good friends
1. But there was never a connection
a. All my friends had been friends with each other since elementary school
i. I kind of felt like an outsider
1. I never felt quite like the rest of the group
4. How do you deal with loneliness?
a. My advice
i. Understand that this feeling is temporary.
1. It is only permanent if you make it permanent.
a. Your attitude and perspective will determine the future of this emotion.
i. I have nothing common with anybody, I am too different, These people are jerks
1. If this is your attitude you will never change.
ii. After two weeks of being by myself, I befriended someone who finally invited me to lunch and to hangout etc.
1. I allowed myself to be approachable.
a. Proverbs 18:24
i. A man who has friends must himself be friendly,(KJV)
b. If youre lonely because you feel you have no friends, then be approachable.
5. What if youre surrounded by people and friends, but yet you feel lonely.
a. I have had many times like that in my life
i. Times where something just wasnt right
1. A feeling of homesickness
b. Understand that there could be a purpose to this feeling
i. A counselor said that we feel lonely not because were alienated from others, but alienated from ourselves.
1. Sometimes God wants us to embrace our solitude so we can take stock and examine ourselves
i. Maybe youre feeling lonely because you feel there is no one that knows how you feel.
1. Those are the times when we need to go off be by ourselves with God.
a. Surrounding yourself with more people more often will not fix the problem.
2. Jesus very often purposely went off to be by himself.
b. Matthew 14:13
c. Matthew 14:23
d. Mark 6:46
ii. Maybe youre feeling lonely with a bunch of friends because something has changed in the dynamic of the group.
1. Maybe you are changing
2. Maybe they are changing.
a. God wants us to have friends that encourage and strengthen us. And he wants us to do the same.
i. Proverbs 27:17
1. Our spirits and our souls need to be massaged, if we surround ourselves with people our things that dont vitalize our spirits, it will feel neglected.
a. Your spirit/soul is the heart of you.
there is a time and purpose for everything.
Ecclesiastes 3:1
God allows us to enter into stage of our lives
For a reason.
1.To teach us about ourselves
2.To teach us about Him
3.To mold us into a better person.
No matter what the reason for the loneliness
Jesus is always and will always be here.
Hebrews 13:5