Joel Osteen Podcast - Broaden Your Life | Joel Osteen

Episode Date: December 26, 2025

God wants us to live a full life. If you'll step outside your comfort zone, God will broaden your life in new ways.Plan for your faith to succeed! Our 2026 Faith for Today Planner will fill you with hope and keep you grounded in God’s promises. Request our December offer and start each day of the upcoming year with Scripture and encouragement!https://bit.ly/4reqMWn Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of the Joel Osteen Podcast ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and share it with a friend. We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life. Well, God bless you. Always a joy to come into your homes. We love you and we're believing for God's very best in your life. And if you're ever in our area, I hope you'll stop by and be a part of one of our services.

I promise you we'll make you feel right at home. But thanks for tuning in today. I like to get started each week with something kind of funny. And I heard about this little girl. She asked her mother how the human race came about. The mom explained how God created Adam and Eve and they had children and here we are. A few days later, she asked her dad the same question. He explained that many years ago there were monkeys and little by little they become more

like people and now, you know, we're here today. Kind of confused. She went back to her mother and said, Mom, you said, that God created people, but Dad said that we came from monkeys. How can this be? The mother said, oh, honey, that's easy. I told you about my side of the family. Dad told you about his. Hold up your Bible. Say it like you mean it. This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. I have what it says I have. I can do what it says I can do. Today I will be taught the word of God. I boldly confess, my mind is alert, my heart is receptive, I will never be the same. In Jesus' name,

God bless you. I want to talk to you today about broadening your life. It's easy to get stuck in a rut to where we do the same thing again and again. We eat the same foods, we go to the same restaurants, we listen to the same music, drive the same way to work, hang around the same type of friends. if we're not careful, our life will be very narrow. The reason many people have lost their enthusiasm, they're not excited about each day, is because they are under-exposed. They won't try anything new. They won't go anywhere different. There's no freshness to their life. The scripture says in Psalm 24, the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. God wants us to live a full life. That means a life where we're continually exploring new things, new hobbies, new cultures, new personalities, new ways of thinking.

You have to get outside of your community, get outside of your culture, and get around people that are not just like you. People that don't have your sense of humor. People that have different interests. People that grew up in another environment. People that don't have your same skin color. That's what makes you broader. That's what makes life richer, fuller, more enjoyable. And some of you today, you're living a much more narrow life than God intended you to.

You've never been to the museums. You've never heard the symphony, never gone to a play, never seen a ballet. Well, you say, Joel, I know I would never like that. I grew up in the country. I'm not that sophisticated. No, how do you know unless you try? And even if you try and you find it's not for you, you will make better decisions because you've had more exposure. You're not wasting your time, you're growing. On the other hand, some of you have never been to a ballgame. You've never been to a rodeo, never been fishing, never camped out. Your life is too small. It's one-dimensional. God wants us to be well-rounded. And I'm not going to live a full life if I let my profession consume me. I love to minister. I love to help people. But I know to be my best, I have to stay open and learn about

other areas. I don't want to be one-dimensional. Well, he's a good speaker, but other than that, he's kind of a deadbeat. No, I also love to play sports. I love to drive to little towns and learn about their history. I love to watch plays. I love to sit outside and eat lunch with my daughter. You've got to understand, I've come a thousand miles. Before I met Victoria, I was so narrow. I ate the same thing every day. I played baseball every night. I had one type of friend, people that were just like me. People that look like me, people that talk like me, people that had my same sense of humor. I mean, if they didn't laugh at my jokes, they weren't going to be my friend. If they didn't play baseball, what would I have in common? If they didn't come to my same type of church, that was a

barrier. It was that sameness that was limiting me. When we're all the same, we don't grow like we should. When we surround ourselves with people just like us, we become stifled. That's what's limiting many people today. You have to broaden your life. Don't look for people that are just like you. Don't gravitate to the same things that you've always done. Look for new interest. Develop new hobbies. Cultivate new friendships. Get outside of it. your box. God has a full world he wants you to enjoy. Have you ever developed an interest in nature, in streams, in mountains, in wildlife? Have you ever developed an interest in the arts, in science, in music, in travel, in sports? There is so much life to be explored. And I want to

challenge you out of a little narrow life into the full life that God has in store. I remember when about a month after Victoria and I started dating, she saw where the symphony was going to have a free outdoor concert in the park, and she asked if I wanted to go. And I thought to myself, the symphony, why would we want to do that? That's for people that are retired. That's for people that don't have anything better to do. And of course, I didn't tell Victoria that. I wanted her to like me. at that time, if she'd asked me to go to a power plant, I would have gone. And I said, oh yeah, the symphony, I would love to go. I thought at least I can catch up on some sleep. I had all these preconceived ideas.

Here, I had never been to the symphony. How did I know that I wasn't going to like it? That was a prejudice. I had prejudged it and already decided that it wasn't for me. That's what we do many times. Prejudice doesn't just have to do with skin color. You can prejudge a hobby, prejudge an event, prejudge a culture, prejudge a certain kind of church. Could it be that your life is too small today because you are prejudging things and just ruling them out?

Could it be that you're missing out on something great God has to offer because you have a narrow mindset? We went to the symphony that night and it was one of the most enjoyable, relaxing evenings I've ever had. I can still remember it to this day. In fact, that's one reason why we've had the symphony here several times to celebrate Christmas. It's made such an impression on me. What happened? My horizon was broadened. My life got a little bit fuller. I discovered something that I liked outside of sports, outside of the church. Up to that point, that's basically all I'd ever known. And I was happy, but I was missing out on the fullness that God had in store. I'm asking you today to do something out of your normal box.

If you've never been to the museums, you need a plan to go. If you've never been fishing, you need to go. Never been skydiving? Just kidding. Broaden your horizon. And I know you love your friends, but do they all look like you and sound like you and dress like you? That's fine, but let me tell you, that's boring. You need some variety. Stay open to people that are not like you, that don't.

have your same interest that didn't come from your same environment. You need people like that to make your life full. Really, it was this principle that brought about Lakewood. For years, my father was a traditional Baptist minister. That's all he'd ever known, all he'd ever been exposed to. And all of daddy's friends were Baptist, his cousins were Baptist, his barber was Baptist, his banker was Baptist, his grocer was Baptist, even his pets were Baptist. He used to say, I was Baptist born, Baptist bread, Baptist living, and Baptist dead. He was Baptist through and through. And back in those days, especially in the church world concerning denominations, it was very segregated, not like it is today. Now we have people

from all denominations and all walks of life, but back then it was very different. And in the late 1950s, some of my dad's friends invited him to go hear a woman minister. This lady was having a revival in town and so many people were coming. It was causing a great stir in that city, not only because of the great things that were happening, but the fact that she was a lady. There were not a lot of women ministries back then, and they certainly weren't accepted like they are today. And on top of this, this lady, when she ministered, she took her shoes off and she ministered barefoot. She was known as the barefooted lady preacher. Here my dad was a dignified minister, pastor of the First Baptist Church. He said to his friends, are you kidding?

I am not going to go here a barefooted lady minister. I have a reputation. He was saying she doesn't fit into our group. She didn't go to our cemetery. I mean our seminary. She's not just like us. And if this wasn't bad enough, what they didn't tell my father was she came from the Pentecostal denomination. And that was enough to give a Baptist heart failure back in those days. She was a little bit wild. She believed in healing. She believed God could still do miracles. Well, they talked my father into going. My dad told later how he was scared to death. Here a grown man, pastor to thousands, ordained minister, yet so narrow in his things. And then, and he was scared to death. And he was scared to death. He was a grown man. Heard a thinking. He was afraid to go hear a barefooted woman minister. Well, they got there that night,

and the place was so crowded, they couldn't get a seat. It was packed. My father said, too bad, we better just go back home. He thought God had answered his prayers. His friends said, no way, we're going to find a place to sit. And so they wandered through the side building in the dark, in the educational Sunday school rooms. They opened up a door, and lo and behold, it put them on the very front row. My father's heart sunk. He would have done anything to get out of there. In a few minutes, the lady came out, and sure enough, she took off her shoes. There she was standing barefoot in front of my father. Now, as she began to minister, she talked about the love and the goodness of God, and tears began to flow down her cheeks. And that night, my father felt something

that he had never felt before. All of a sudden, he had a desire to know God in a great away. His mind was exposed to something new. That was a turning point in his life. He left there determined he was going to become everything God created him to be. He didn't even know the lady's name, but years later, he would credit that woman for stirring up the dreams and desires that God put in his heart. And it was that experience that gave my dad the courage to take a step of faith in Start Lakewood Church. What happened? He was exposed to something new, exposed to something that was out of the norm. Once he got out of that narrow box and ventured into new territories, his life was broadened. His life became fuller. Could it be like my father that we are under-exposed?

We keep prejudging things that are different, things that we're not used to, and now our life is very narrow. We keep hanging around the same type of people, doing the same thing year after year, not exploring the full life God has in store. No, let's broaden our horizons. Let's stay open to things that are different. Even when we disagree, we can still learn something. We don't have to be defensive and try to straighten everybody out. I found you just take the best and leave the rest. One time Victoria and I were in Rome, Italy, walking down the streets. This was about three years after we were married. We came to this huge cathedral.

I noticed all the people filing in. I saw on the sign where the Mass was just about to begin. Well, I had never been to a Catholic Mass in all of my life. Victoria is always stretching me, so I thought I would stretch her. And I talked her into going in there with me. And for the next 30 minutes, I experienced something that I'll never. ever forget. I couldn't understand a word of the mass. It was all in Italian. But as we took communion with those people, I could see their love for Christ. I could see their devotion to God, their respect for

the church. Even though I had no idea what the priest was saying, as he served communion, I could feel the presence of God. And so often we try to put God in a box. We think, man, I can't learn anything from them, they're Catholic and I'm Protestant. I can't associate with those people. They don't come from my same group, but that's a very narrow way of living. If you want a rich, rewarding, full life, you've got to stay open and be willing to experience people that are not like you, people that don't come from your culture, people that don't worship the same way, people that don't fit into your same box. It doesn't mean that we have to change what we believe. It doesn't mean that we have to change what we believe. doesn't mean we have to compromise. But when we expose ourselves to different things, we become broader.

We'll make better decisions. We're more well-rounded. I have a good friend that lives in India. Anytime he's here, he'll attend our services. It's a very successful businessman. His faith is not the same as mine, but that doesn't stop us from learning from each other. He prays five times a day. He can be in the middle of the meeting and say, I've got to stop, go pray for 15 minutes. I can learn from that. He inspires me to be more devoted. When we go out to eat, we take turns where we're going to go. When it's my turn, we eat Mexican food. When it's his turn, we eat Indian food. I'm a picky eater, but I've learned Indian food can be good. You just have to have lots of water. But we grow when we're around different people and we're in different

environments. Some of you today are living a life that's smaller than God designed for you because you prejudge certain people and certain things, and you've already decided they're not going to be right for you. You'd never like that, no use even trying. Well, I could never learn from that minister. She's a woman. She's barefooted. I could never like the symphony, Joel. I like wrestling. I would never be able to volunteer at the hospital. I'm just an interfered. I'm just a homebody, how do you know unless you try? Your life is going to be smaller than God intended it unless you learn to quit prejudging things. We need to be exposed to different taste, different arts, different personalities, different cultures, different ministries. Life has too much

to offer than to just order a hamburger every single time. Don't go to that same restaurant for the next 40 years and order the enchilada special. Break out of your box. Try some fish taco. some mango chicken, some grilled salmon. Just make sure it's low fat. And I have to admit, I used to be the world's worst. I was always doing the same thing, the same way. I had very little variety in my life until I met Victoria. And even after we got married, every night I would eat a tuna sandwich with fritos, seven days a week. One time something funny happened. Victoria and I and My father, we were in the jungles of Thailand. We had traveled 10 hours by Jeep down these mountain roads, and we finally made it to the little village. It was very primitive. No running water. The people wore their native dress.

They had these big rings embedded in their ears that had grown in there, and they had those big lip rings in their lips, maybe like you've seen on National Geographic, very primitive. The people were very kind. and my father went around praying for the different families. There was about 10 or 12 huts there. And just as we were about to leave, the king of that village invited us to his hut to have dinner. It was a big deal, a high honor. So we went in there and sat down on the floor. In a few minutes, someone brought a plate to me. It was basically a big leaf and it had some kind of food on it. I can tell you, I've never seen anything like it. It was far from a tuna sandwich. much. My first thought was, is it still alive? My second thought was, will it kill me? I felt like I was

on fear factor for a moment. As I waited for everyone else to get their food, I'd already made up my mind. I was going to somehow sneak this into my pocket, but I wasn't about to eat it. But the king, I noticed, he just kept staring and staring and staring at me. He had a big smile. I couldn't speak his language, but it's like he was saying, I can't wait till you try it. this. I kept waiting for everyone, but I soon realized that's not the way they operate. They serve one person and they all watch that person eat. I didn't have a choice. If I didn't eat it, I would offend them, and I sure didn't want them to give me lip rings as a gift. So I just bowed my head and prayed Psalm 91. God, you said, if I eat any deadly thing, it will not harm me. God,

I'm asking for your help. I knew this was putting God to the test. And I ate it, and thank God I made it. I'm still alive. But that experience broadened me. My life got fuller. And I love now learning from other cultures. I love learning from people that are not just like me.

Broaden your life. God has so much more in store for each one of us. Don't go the next 10 years doing the same thing, the same way. Cultivate some new friendships. cook some new dinners, drive a different way to work, plan a trip out of the country. Well, Joel, I can't go overseas right now. Maybe not, but you can go to the museum downtown. Or you can take a blanket and go to the park and listen to the birds sing. You can go to an outdoor concert like we did and let the wind blow through your hair and thank God that you're alive and healthy. All around you, there's so much

life to be explored. God wants you to enjoy that full life. We have to get out of our routine and be willing to do something different. We need freshness. I like to run. And as long as I've been running for years and years, I have run the exact same path. I even run on the same side of the road. When I cross from the left-hand side of the street to the right hand, I do it at the exact same place. I bet if my steps were marked year to year, I wouldn't be more than a foot off. That's how structured I am. And about six months ago, I started to start. I started to do that. I'd be marked. I'd be marked. I'd to run, and I thought, I am so tired of running this same path. It finally dawned on me that I was seeing the same sites year after year, the same sides of houses year after year, same cracks in the road

year after year. That day, I decided to do something different. Instead of turning left and running my same path, I turned right and ran it in the opposite direction. It was a major breakthrough for me. I'm sure God punch Gabriel and said, Gabriel, am I seeing the right thing? Is he running in a different direction? I could see the squirrels were totally confused. That day, I saw sides of houses that I hadn't seen in 22 years. I saw flower beds that I never knew even existed. You'd be amazed at the freshness that would come into your life if you'd just drive home a different way, or if you'd just park at a different spot at the mall so you can see new stores and new people. Or if you just go to a different grocery store every once in a while, put some variety in your life. Get out of your routine. You were

created to need freshness and not only help you to grow, but it'll keep you excited about life. I saw an interview with a famous rapper not long ago. The reporter asked him why his lyrics were so filled with violence and hate and while he was always talking about killings and shootings and muggings, he said, man, I'm just keeping it real. I'm just rapping about life. I'm just rapping about the way the world is. But the truth is, that's not the way the world is. That's the way his world is. That's all he's ever seen. That's all he's ever been exposed to. He doesn't realize five miles down the road, in a neighborhood a little down the road, people aren't shooting and killing and mugging. They're enjoying their life, living in peace, raising their children, going to ball games,

taking walks through the park. What's the problem? He's under-exposed. He's got a small vision. He needs to get out of that culture and see how other people live. And this is what we do many times. We think going to work and back and going to the grocery store, going to the church. That's the way the whole world is. No, that's just our world. There's so much more to experience. Some of you, three miles from your house is a beautiful park that you've never enjoyed. Some of you, 30 minutes down the road, there's a historical landmark that you've never explored. Some of you, there's a lakewood in your community, but you've never gone to it. Some of you sit next to a coworker that's different than you. If you would take time to develop a friendship, that would add a new

dimension to your life. Don't live under-exposed. I think it's interesting that people come from all over the world to go to NASA, the space center here in town. But until three years ago, until my children wanted to go, I had never been to NASA. For 42 years, it was in my backyard. It was just 30 minutes down the road, but I never took time to go. I thought I'm not into space. I'm not into science. I like the outdoors. I like playing sports. But that is such a narrow way to live. And I learned something new that day with my children. I have a new appreciation for the gifts and talents that God's given our space team. Plus, I got a bigger vision of who God is. When you begin to understand the magnitude of the universe God created, it can't help but expand

you. Can't help but help you grow. And I believe, just like me, you have things in your backyard, so to speak, that you haven't taken advantage of. Even small things. things, taking a walk through the woods, listening to the birds seeing, getting to know that neighbor that's not like you, taking an exercise course. Look around at what God has put in your life. It's not by accident. It's there to enjoy. Broaden your horizon. Find something that's different. Do something out of the ordinary. The other day, we were in Memphis, Tennessee for one of our events on the road, and normally we have to get right back to the services here, but we happen to have that next morning free. And we decided to stick around and explore Memphis. We went to the Lorraine

Hotel where Dr. Martin Luther King was killed. We toured the museum and were so inspired by his life. I left there a little broader. Our son Jonathan loves guitars. There's a famous guitar factory in Memphis. We took an hour and took the tour to see how they made guitars. I'll probably never play a guitar, but my life got a little bit fuller. On the way to the era, We stopped by Graceland where Elvis lived and saw all of his accomplishments and how he impacted our culture. Just a few hours that morning and my vision was expanded. If you're going to live a rich, rewarding, full life, you have to take steps to broaden yourself. You can't keep prejudging things and think, oh, I'm not going to like that. Even with the guitar factory, my first thought was this is going to be boring. I'll just endure it. But actually, it was very fascinating. And some of you may be missing the best part of your life

because you prejudge someone or something, and you've already decided you're not going to like them. That's not for you, no use even trying. No, that's a narrow way to live. I remember how my brother-in-law, Jim, tried to get my sister Tamara to go out on a date for months and months. They were in college together, but Tamara wasn't interested. She had told us how Jim wasn't right for her. He was to this, to that. They didn't have anything in common. For the longest time, she said no. But how can you really know someone if you've never spent time with him? She didn't give him a chance. She had prejudged him. But Jim was very persistent. He kept calling and calling. Finally one day Tamara said, all right, Jim, I'll go on this one date with you. That night, Tamara saw a different side of Jim. He was kind,

caring, generous, fun, funny, kind of like me. Today, over 20 years and four children later, Tamara and Jim are as happy as can be. Don't prejudge something. Just because someone's different than you, stay open. Maybe you can learn from them. Maybe they'll help broaden you, make your life fuller. I want to give you an assignment this week. Do something out of your normal routine. make friends with someone that's not just like you. Drive a new way home from work. Or instead of sitting home watching TV each night, take a walk in the park, go up to the bookstore and research that hobby that you're interested in. Friends, the life God's design for you is bigger than your community, bigger than your culture, bigger than your race, bigger than your profession. Look around this week.

Are there things in your life that you're not taking advantage of, a beautiful park? I'm museum, a lakewood you've never visited, a friend you've never got to know, a pond that you've never thrown rocks in. Break out of your box and explore something different. There's a full world that God wants you to enjoy. The more exposure we have, the more well-rounded we're going to be. And if you'll get out of a narrow box and broaden your life, you'll begin to grow in new ways. You'll make better decisions. And I believe you'll live the rich, rewarding, full life that God has in store. Amen. Do you receive it today? We never like to close our broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus,

I repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make you, my Lord and Savior. Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in a good Bible-based church. Keep God first place. He's going to take your places. that you've never dreamed of. What if every plan you set, every habit you formed, and every decision you made became a pathway to see God move in your life?

We all have hopes and dreams, things we're believing for. When you start the year in faith, expecting God's goodness, you are setting the tone for a blessed new year. And we'd love to send you our 2026, Faith for Today planner. You can write down your dreams and goals

plus use it for your everyday activities and reminders. It's important to feed your faith on a daily basis. This planner, it's not just a calendar. It's filled with scriptures and inspiration to help you stay encouraged and keep believing for what God has put in your heart. 2026 is your year to see the goodness of God in greater ways. Let go of what didn't work out

and get ready for the new things God has in store. As our way of saying thank you for your gift of any amount this month, we would like to send you a copy of the 2026 Faith for Today planner. Each month features a fresh theme of encouragement, a guiding scripture to stand on, room to write your goals, prayers, and vision, space for faith steps,

because faith isn't passive, it's active, a monthly QR code linking to a message or video to keep your spirit lifted. With a 26 Faith for Today planner, you'll be reminded that living by faith makes room for God to do what only he can do. Break through in your business, God's healing touch, loved ones returning to faith, request your copy of the planner, and step into the new year with bold faith, fresh hope, and daily encouragement to strengthen your spirit and face every

challenge with confidence. No matter what's happening around you, faith can rise up in you. Keep believing and expecting a blessed 2026. Victoria and I pray for you and your family every day. Thank you so much for your prayer and support. Your generosity is helping people around the world. As we finish this year, I hope you'll consider making a special year-in gift to help keep the ministry strong.

We so appreciate all the Champion of Hope Partners for your monthly support. We wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas. Till we see you next time, may the Lord bless you and keep you. you. Be sure to request your copy of the 2026 Faith for Today planner. Visit Joelosteen.com or call 888-567 Joel. For a special year-end gift this month, we are also offering the Faith to Share bundle. Keep one, give one, give the gift of faith, focus, and fresh hope for someone special in your life.

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