Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed
on His faithfulness.
Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you
the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37: 3, 4
Today is an ordinary day. And I am grateful for all that this word, “ordinary” implies. Of late, there has been too much bad news (near and far); too much turmoil (inward and outward); too much pressure, stress, and anxiety filling my days. So much so, that I have found myself longing for a day of absolute stillness, rest, and quiet.
My heart is weary and my soul is burdened for those whom are suffering (near and far). I know that I cannot fix all these troubles, trials, and the accompanying grief each of these life-altering scenarios represents. I’m not in control of outcomes. However, I know the God who is in control. What a comfort it is to know that God isn’t sitting on the throne of Heaven wringing His hands in despair over the sin and brokenness in this world. Rather – God is reigning supremely. His glory and goodness is evident if we have the eyes to see…really see.
So instead of focusing on all that is wrong in my world (and the world at large), I’m choosing to set my eyes on the Lord and trust Him to make all things right in his time…and in his way. Today, instead of rehearsing every bit of hard news local and national, I’m going to trust in the Lord and do good. I’m purposing to dwell in the land and feed on His faithfulness. I will delight myself in the Lord and in time, He shall give me the desires of my heart.
How about you? Will you choose to step away from the hectic and chaotic world along with me to rest and rejuvenate your heart, mind, and soul? Will you spend this ordinary day in quietness and strength as you reflect upon God’s goodness to you? As we remove ourselves from the unending demands and stresses that the world imposes upon us to spend time alone in God’s presence, we will happily discover our inner peace begin to take hold and our attitudes about all that has been troubling us start to diminish.
Whenever I am weighed down with the problems in my life, I have learned to say my thanks. Sometimes it takes me a little while to get rolling, it’s true. But once I put my words and my heart into saying, “Thank You, Lord,” everything changes. It’s not that my weighty burdens magically disappear…it’s that I start to see how very BIG God is in the midst of them. The habit of giving thanks also hones my level of sensitivity so that I’m much more aware of those same blessings in my life…and again, I stop and give thanks for each and every one. The future with all its daunting uncertainty quickly loses its power to scare me.
I wonder how dramatically your emotional state could change if you begin the day by thanking the One who has set the whole world in motion with His words? Those two simple words, “Thank You,” they mean so much in God’s economy.
Questions for Personal Reflection:
- What are my personal fear and worry triggers? Name them and find specific verses that speak to trusting God in these situations.
- How can honing a daily, thankful heart totally transform me when I begin wrongly focusing on the uncertainty of the future?
- List four Bible verses that state how we should use our words to bring encouragement and hope to others.
- What is my most pressing heart need that I must address if I am to have victory over worry and fear?
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In