What do we need in order to survive our day? There are several fun items that will make us smile, encourage us on, remind us what is most important in life, and mature us spiritually (Psalm 5:11).
Make a collection of these various items, and keep them in a prominent place, like an office desk drawer, or a pretty curio box: A Bible, Rubber band, Toothpick, Pen, Paper heart, Eraser, Thumb tack, Band aid, Penny, and a Child's tea set. These will remind us often to focus on the positive that God does for us each and every day.
The first is our Bible. This book never gets old or boring. God always uses His Word to speak to our heart about something that really matters to us. We may need a different translation in order to understand it better, but we should always choose a translation and not a paraphrase.
The next item that we need for spiritual growth is a rubber band to encourage us to stretch with the circumstances. Flexibility is a learned character trait. We often adopt a rigid schedule to attempt to keep our self safe; but life has a way of jumping right out of our boundaries.
God is always working in our life to protect and provide for us, especially during the lean times, or the difficult trials (1 Corinthians 1:9; Ephesians 1:11). We can feel joy in our heart and maintain a smile on our face regardless of our circumstances if we remain flexible.
Next, we need a toothpick to remember to commend the good in others. At times, we tend to pick on others. Often this is not intentional, but we are tired, irritated, seething with anger, overworked, rushed, etc. We find fault rather than compliment the good we see in others (Romans 14:13; 1 Corinthians 4:5).
When was the last time you thanked your spouse for his/her help around the house; such as cooking your favorite meal, emptying the trash, providing you with clean clothes, cleaning out the leaves from the gutters, etc. These are big items that we often tend to take for granted.
Prayer:
Father God, teach us to use these and other items to remember to keep our eyes on You, rather than on our circumstances:
· A pen to keep a record of all Your blessings to us throughout our day (James 1:17).
· A paper heart to initiate loving gestures among our family, friends, associates and neighbors (1 Peter 4:8).
· An eraser to forgive and rub out the offenses, which come against us every day (Proverbs 19:11).
· A thumb tack to remind us to stick to Your plans, rather than to rely on human understanding (Ephesians 2:10).
· A band aid to prompt our memory about Your daily healing of all of our mental, emotional and physical wounds (Psalm 147:3).
· A penny to read, "In God we trust" so we do not trust in anyone or anything except You (Proverbs 3:5-6).
· A child's tea set to encourage us to relax at various times during the day to avoid stress, to take time to deep breathe, and to praise You, our almighty and generous Lord (1 Peter 5:7).
Thought for the Day:
Praising God in and for our life is such a small gift to Him that does not take a mountain of technology or gobs of time, but it is so rewarding both to Him and for us; constantly remembering His gifts, and the lessons that He teach us is paramount for our spiritual growth.
