"This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24
"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." I Thessalonians 5:18
This is very hard to do this morning. Many things have been occurring that may or may not turn out the way I think they ought to - Job situations, difficulties in the work for Dad and Mom, health care situations, etc. There are some possibilities here which make me excited. They also make me worry that it won't turn out "right" (my idea of right, of course). It is easy for me to worry and fuss and whine and stew. That was the temptation for me last night and this morning. It is not wrong to be concerned about these things and to bring them to the Lord in prayer. But it is wrong to dwell upon them and to try to figure out how I think the Lord should answer them. The focus should be God, God, God; not me, me, me.
Lord, put thankfulness in my heart. Help me think upon that which is good and right. As I pondered these things this morning, the Lord brought to mind a whole list of things that He has done for us just since yesterday.
1. Christy had safety out shopping, and the Lord gave us and our friends safety as we went to Dr. Schulman's.
2. The Lord gave encouragement through things friends wrote to us (friends who knew nothing about my troubled thoughts). He also encouraged us through His word, good music, and good preaching.
3. The adjustment was very good and gave much relief.
4. With a coupon, we were able to save $1.00 at Earth Fare.
5. The Lord gave help and wisdom in preparing to redo the "Needs" page on Dad and Mom's website.
6. The Lord helped in going through Mom's journal and preparing news to be uploaded to their website.
7. The Lord helped in writing an important email.
8. The Lord gave me a very good sleep last night.
9. The Lord allowed me to wake up today in less pain than I was in yesterday.
10. The Lord gave us food for a smoothie and for breakfast. And it tastes good!
11. He also showed us reminders yesterday that winter will not last for ever; that He will send spring soon.
It seemed like the Lord was driving home a message. "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5)
And here are more wonderful promises from God's word:
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Matthew 6:25-34