God did not create us and leave us stranded on this temporal globe in our solar system. He loves us foremost, and we are the apple of His eye (Psalm 17:8). The degree to which we enjoy an intimate relationship with Him corresponds with the depth of our love for and obedience to Christ within us (John 14:15).
We participate with God when we pay attention to our body, thoughts, and feelings, and we identify any negative issues we uncover. The type of thoughts which preoccupy our mind give us a clue about what is going on within us. Feelings such as worry, discontentment, anxiety, and anger are the result of our soul trying to communicate with us.
Discovering what is causing the physical pain and those negative thoughts and feelings, searching our heart to see if we need to forgive or apologize to someone, and discerning if we feel guilty over the past or are concerned about the future, allow us to resolve many of these issues.
When we fail to live in the present, we become so burdened with trouble that we often become physically and emotionally ill. Thankfully, the Serenity Prayer gives us a guideline here. We pray that God will give us His wisdom to know which situations we can change and which we must leave in His capable hands.
Then, we ask Him for the strength to deal with the issues that He reveals are our responsibility, and He gives us His Spirit’s guidance through each one of them. We live in wonder as He uses our body, soul, and spirit for His glory. Our day does not revolve around earning another dollar, but around our unbroken fellowship with our Triune God within us.
Prayer:
Father God, once we start our day in the anointing of Your Spirit, we set our course for success. He brings us many blessings, as well as financial, spiritual, mental, and emotional growth throughout our day. If we will reject our own counsel and live by faith in Your faithfulness, You bless our every move. As we obey Your direction for the choices we make, we find success and fulfillment (Proverbs 3:5-6). Each day of walking in Your Spirit increases our ability to walk even closer to You the next day.
Trust and surrender get easier with practice. You direct us by Your Spirit, especially during the hard and hectic times. We turn the issues over to You that we have no control over, and we have faith in Your faithfulness. We develop an attitude of gratitude, even for the negative issues in our life (Philippians 4:4-8). Abiding in the present moment keeps us from taking You for granted.
Thoughts for the Day:
As we walk by the direction of God’s Spirit, we learn to find joy in the sun rising and setting, in a caterpillar on a leaf, in the breath we breathe, in the laughter of little children, in the flowers blooming along the roadside, in the sound of a neighbor starting his car or a loved one returning home, in the antics of a pet, in the glitter of the sun on the water, in the shape of a flower or the clouds in the sky, and so much more. We walk in God’s Spirit, sing grateful praises to His name, and rejoice forevermore.
- Galatians 5:15-25; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
