For the past 24 days I have been writing down a blessing for each day. I realized how much I kept putting myself down with negativity; God got a hold of me and made me realize all I have to be thankful for. Thanksgiving comes once a year, but that doesn't mean I need to limit my gratefulness to such a short time.
Every day is a blessing in itself; I have learned this. Every time I am able to wake up in the morning, take a breath, get out of bed and do daily activities...it's all a blessing. Every time I go brush my teeth, pick out what I'm going to wear, choose the perfect pair of shoes...it's all something I've been given that so many have to do without. Waking up in the morning is something special. Personally, I hate mornings. But I realize now that every morning, as the sun comes up, it's a promise that my life is starting over. (Like the rainbow being a promise after the flood.) God is giving me a brand new day to begin my life again. Wow. It blows my mind.
I have a choice when I wake up: Am I going to be glad today, if for no other reason than for the fact that I DID wake up, or make my life and everyone around me miserable and depressed. God can't magically make me happy, I have to choose for myself where my heart is going to be.
"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." -James 1:2-4
Consider it mostly joy? No. Consider it all joy. Why? Because when we're thrown trials and hard times, we can have a reassurance that God gives strength in those times and in the end will give endurance.
"O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days." -Psalm 90:14
He does satisfy us in the morning! Being able to crawl out of bed is proof of His kindness. It's more proof God hasn't given up on or forgotten us. That, my friends, is something to be joyful about! Knowing as soon as we wake up, God is there.
"For You, O LORD, have made me glad by what You have done, I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands." -Psalm 92:4
I will sing for joy. How often do we sing for joy? Not just think about being happy, but literally burst out in song because we can't contain the joy we have from Christ.
"Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; break forth and sing for joy and sing praises." -Psalm 98:4
Shout to the Lord...sing praises... God deserves our praise. Period.
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Blessing #25: The gift given to someone as lowly and pitiful as myself over 2,000 years ago by a perfect Man/Son/King/God. May I always be grateful for the beauty He is still working on that is made from every mistake and painful scar I've acquired. He came in a manger, but lived, loved and eventually died an excruciating death, all so I could live my life and have the choice to accept or deny Him. #thisiswhywesing
3 comments:
Thank you for this wonderful reminder! Sometimes its hard to "consider it all joy" but when we consider our "hard times" in light of what Jesus went through then our daily things don't seem so bad and we are more thankful for them. I read Corrie tenBoom's The Hiding Place while back and my favorite part was were they thanked God for the flies that surrounded them a they were in prison. They praised God for them because it made the guards leave the miserable place and they were able to read the bible freely. Thank you for this post again!
Bethany
www.royal-daughters-of-the-king.blogspot.com
The thing that is often most difficult is not finding joy in some things, but in "ALL" things. Everything has joy in it, because God is in everything; His holy and divine plan is what makes life liveable. Through Him we can have joy because we have HIS joy.
The thing that is often most difficult is not finding joy in some things, but in "ALL" things. Everything has joy in it, because God is in everything; His holy and divine plan is what makes life liveable. Through Him we can have joy because we have HIS joy.
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