Four Habits to Rest in God’s Goodness

By Rick Warren

“I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit. But you cannot do anything without me” (John 15:5 CEV).

How do you rest in God’s goodness? How do you experience the abundant life he has for you?

Here are four daily habits that will help move you from overwhelmed to overflowing.

1. Stay connected to Jesus every day.

“I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit. But you cannot do anything without me” (John 15:5 CEV).

If you try to go through life on your own power, you’re going to be overwhelmed. A toaster cannot fulfill its purpose unless it’s plugged in to the power. You cannot fulfill your purpose and enjoy God’s goodness unless you’re plugged in to his power.

2. Replace your complaining with gratefulness.

“Do everything without complaining and arguing” (Philippians 2:14 NLT).

Science has proven that complaining and practicing gratitude both have an impact on your health. Complaining is a deeply unhealthy emotion. On the other hand, studies have shown that gratitude is the healthiest emotion. It produces serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin in your brain—those are the chemicals that boost happiness and lower stress.

3. Stop being stingy, and start being generous.

“Bring the full amount of your tithes to the Temple, so that there will be plenty of food there. Put me to the test and you will see that I will open the windows of heaven and pour out on you in abundance all kinds of good things”(Malachi 3:10 GNT).

God wired a universal law into the world: The more you give away, the more you’re going to get. He did that because he wants you to become more like him. God is a giver. Everything we have is the gift of God’s generosity. The more generous you are, the more God is going to bless you in every single area of your life. Your life will overflow!

4. Stop comparing, and start being content.

“It is better to be content with what little you have. Otherwise, you will always be struggling for more, and that is like chasing the wind” (Ecclesiastes 4:6 NCV).

Contentment is not abandoning your ambition. You ought to have ambition. You ought to make the most of what God has given you. Contentment doesn’t mean you don’t have any goals, dreams, or plans for your life. Contentment simply means you don’t need more in order to be happy. You’re happy right now with what you’ve been given. Contentment means your happiness doesn’t depend upon circumstances; it depends upon God, the Good Shepherd who has blessed you with every good gift.

By nature, we are discontent. But by God’s grace, we can rest content in his goodness to us. When you grasp that most things in your life are simply gracious gifts from God, your life will go from overwhelming to overflowing.

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This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

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