I have been meeting with men for over three decades. Many of those men exude a contagious joy and contentment. Their lives are peaceable, orderly, and recommend Christ. They are downright happy!

Most of these happy men exercise six spiritual habits that keep them “abiding in Christ.”

Habit #1: Spiritually happy men read the Bible regularly.

They love God’s Word, and want to regularly read and meditate on the Bible. I’ve never known a single man whose life has changed in any significant way apart from the regular study of God’s Word.

Habit #2: Spiritually happy men pray with their wives.

Praying with your wife symbolizes a depth of relationship with God and each other. Here’s what one guy has to say:
“The benefits when we are obedient in this area are amazing. And I’ll tell you this, it’s pretty hard to be upset with your wife and still come before God with a clean heart. It forces us to communicate and humble ourselves before we do something as intimate as praying together. It just permeates through the rest of your family, and day.”

Habit #3: Spiritually happy men are in a small group.

Consultant Pat MacMillan surveyed over 2,500 Promise Keepers who had kept their promises. He asked them, “Who helped you keep them?” The two overwhelming answers given were, “My wife” and “My church-based small group.” Focus on getting men into small groups.

Spiritually happy men are personally vulnerable and seek to be held accountable by other men. This group might be with a few men, or only one other man. It might meet for Bible study, discussion, fellowship, prayer, accountability, or a combination.

Habit #4: Spiritually happy men are active in a church.

Who is going to visit you in the hospital when you’re sick?
Who is going to baptize your children?
Who is going to teach your children about the Bible?
Who is going to serve you communion?
Who is going to preach God’s Word to you?

You get the idea.

Active church involvement is the overflow of a deeper work that Christ is doing in a man’s heart. “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb 10:25).

Habit #5: Spiritually happy men tithe.

Generosity is a highly underrated source of happiness. I’ve never known a man who tithed who was not happy. On the other hand, I’ve known a lot of guys who have not tithed and were miserable.

Someone may argue that tithing is not New Testament. I agree that the New Testament concept is proportionate giving: “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income…” (1 Cor 16:2). But wait! The Old Testament also says give in proportion: “Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the LORD your God has blessed you” (Dt 16:17). Both Old and New Testaments suggest proportionate giving!

Habit #6: Spiritually happy men are serving the Lord.

Personally, I would rather die for a worthy cause than live for no reason. And I think most men feel the same way. Once a man has been in the real presence of Jesus, he will never be happy until he finds a way to express his gratitude through love and good deeds. Do you have a passion that your life will make a difference in the world? Are you pursuing a life of significance? View everything as serving the Lord.

Remember, we are trying to practice Christianity, not voodoo. We simply cannot make a requirement out of anything the Bible does not specifically command or prohibit. So these six habits are recommendations, not commandments.

This article is taken from A Look in the Mirror™ at www.maninthemirror.org. Printed with permission.

The New International Version of the Bible has been referenced.