THE PROMISE Because You Are Surrounded By Gods Love

THE PROMISE: BECAUSE YOU ARE SURROUNDED BY GOD’S LOVE, YOU CAN HAVE A JOYFUL ATTITUDE AND AN OPTIMISTIC OUTLOOK

"My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Psalm 23:5-6 

God has given you free will, including the ability to influence the direction and the tone of your thoughts. And, here’s how God wants you to direct those thoughts:

“Finally brother (sisters), whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things” (Philippians 4:8).

Your attitude will help determine the quality of your life, so you must guard your thoughts accordingly.

Gratitude is the key to everything! If you approach life with a healthy mixture of realism and optimism, you’ll be rewarded.

But, if you allow yourself to fall into the habit of negative thinking, you will doom yourself to unhappiness, or mediocrity, or worse.

So, the next time you find yourself dwelling upon the negative aspects of your life, refocus your attention on things that are positive.

The choice is yours. But, so are the consequences. What’s available to you is to lean into gratitude, or to lean into despair.

Here is how I guard my thoughts. Every morning, I wake up and I say my thankfuls and gratefuls to God Almighty. They sound like:

“Dear Heavenly Father, I am so thankful and grateful for the health, happiness, joy, and safety of my wife Kelly.

Dear Heavenly Father, I am so thankful and grateful for the health, happiness, joy, and safety of my son Max.

Dear Heavenly Father, I am so thankful and grateful for the health, happiness, joy, and safety of my daughter Emma.

Dear Heavenly Father, I am so thankful and grateful for my health, happiness, joy, and safety.

Dear Heavenly Father, I am so thankful and grateful for Clearview’s impact in helping kids and families in crisis to get the help they need and get back to an inspirational path of purpose.

Dear Heavenly Father, above any and above all, thank you for enveloping us all in the warmth of your love and protection. Amen”

Our Prayer: Dear Lord, I pray for an attitude of gratitude. An attitude that is Christlike. Whatever my circumstances, whether good or bad, triumphant or tragic, let my response reflect an attitude of optimism, faith, and love for You. Amen.

“You have to learn to select your thoughts the same way that you select your clothes every day. Now, that’s a power that you can cultivate. You wanna come here and you wanna control your life so bad…work on the mind. That’s the only thing you should be trying to control. Cuz if you can’t master your thoughts, you are in trouble forever.” - Richard from Texas from Eat Pray Love

Today's Promise was provided by "365 Daily Promises and Prayers for Women," by Worthy Inspired (April 24, 2012). This 365 daily devotional for women will remind you of the eternal promises found in God's Word and draw you closer with prayer each day (order your copy here).