For centuries, we’ve been taught that God doesn’t really care about our happiness. But that’s simply not the case. God designed everything for our good.

It's easy to focus on all the negative in the world and lose sight of hope. Here are some ways to shift your focus onto the positive instead.

Comfort is not the same as peace. Comfort is fleeting and relies on the external, while peace is eternal and relational. Let me explain.

We naturally gravitate away from what is uncomfortable. It takes an effort to engage in new ways. But Jesus did not take the easy way out and neither should we.

Centerpoint Church is tearing down every unnecessary barrier. Nothing should stand in the way of hearing about Jesus. We see denominations as one of those barriers. Over time denominations can put up hoops to jump through on how to become a part of the community.  Rules develop that are less scripture based and hold more of a “how to get into the country club” vibe.

Joy happens in spite of suffering. It is an act of resistance against despair and a display of trust in God. See, joy is about connecting with something beyond ourselves. Like love, it points the focus away from selfish desires.

What happens when we feel the Holy Spirit prodding us to go somewhere we’ve never been? Do something we’ve never done?

Here's the thing. When we learn to sit in discomfort, we start to change. We start to see God working. God can do some extraordinary things if we would just step out of our comfort zones.

As Christians comfort should be about making the hurting comfortable, not ourselves. Often when we are placed in situations that make us uncomfortable, we can be known to throw scripture or sayings we think are scripture, but aren't, at others.

We often say, “Suicide is the most selfish thing a person can do.” But we aren’t giving people a choice about their behavior. We foster stigmas and clauses and cultures where people have to act one way on the outside while they are screaming for help on the inside.

Those with mental illness are in a war and they need an army on their side. The church needs to open its eyes to the reality of this war and they need to stand by the people who are hurting from it.

You are a child of God, lavishly loved and an heir to the Kingdom. You have resurrection power in your veins. It’s time to live like it.