YOU CAN STILL BE HAPPY AND THANKFUL 
IN AN IMPERFECT WORLD
November 15, 2015
Pastor Alex Pacheco

THE PROBLEM OF COMPARING

• IT ALWAYS MAKES ME UNHAPPY.

	“To worry yourself to death with resentment would be a foolish, senseless thing to do.” Job 5:2 (GN)

“Jealousy is like bone cancer.”  Pr. 14:30 (GWT)

• IT ALWAYS CAUSES TROUBLE.

“Whenever you’re trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others’ throats.  James 3:16 (MES)

WHAT TO DO WHEN LIFE SEEMS UNFAIR

1.	REALIZE GOD HAS A GOOD PLAN FOR MY LIFE.

	“The godless are full of resentment.” Job 36:13 (NLT)

“You (God) created every part of me; You put me together in my mother’s womb....  You saw me before I was born and scheduled every day of my life before I began to breathe.” 
Ps. 139:13,16 (GN/LB)

“We know that all that happens to us is working for our good IF we love God and are fitting into His plans.”  Rom. 8:28 (LB)

2.	REJOICE IN WHAT I’VE BEEN GIVEN.

“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”	
I Thess. 5:18 (NIV)

3.	REFOCUS ON HELPING OTHERS.

   “He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he 
    brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can  
    be there for that person just as God was there for us.” 2 Cor. 1:4 (Msg)

“Give yourselves completely to God -- every part of you... to be tools in the hand of God, to be used for His good purposes.”  Rom. 6:13b (LB)

“Remembering the words of the Lord Jesus: There is more happiness in giving than in receiving.”  Acts 20:35 (NJB)

“God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again.”	Phil. 1:6 (NLT)

“Turn me away from wanting any other plan than Yours.”  Ps. 119:3 7 (LB)