The Right Start

I just realized something.  Well actually a couple of things, so bear with me as I ramble a bit.  The first thing I noticed is that over the last few months I’ve spent some time praying in the morning, (meaning I did listen to the sermons of a pastor who was at our church until recently).  One of the things he taught was that we should be in prayer daily.  That’s nothing new, but he consciously encouraged us to actively pray every day.  I’ll have to make sure I share that with him, I’m sure he’ll get a laugh out of it.

Secondly, I’ve noticed that the format, or maybe more the content, of my morning prayer really does impact my day.  Let me share my findings.  Over the last few months there have been issues which have been heavy on my heart.  Concerns over friends’ health, worry about the relationships of family members, and the direction certain members of my immediate family are headed, and their success in daily life.

There have been days where that morning prayer time has been focused solely on those heavy subjects.  They’re important and God does need to know about them through my voice and my heart.

Other days, I’ve focused on thanking God for the abundance He’s given me.  The love shared by family and friends, the ability to provide food and shelter for myself and my wife and son.  The money, time and skills to help those less fortunate than I.  For His intervention into a situation or resolution of a difficult time.  Basically, a time giving God praise for His amazing love and grace that He shows me every day.  I will ask specifically for intervention into a difficult situation, but it is not by any stretch the focus of my conversation with God.

In both scenarios, I spend a couple of minutes asking for His guidance and protection for family, friends, church leaders, and the leaders of the city, country and the nations of the world.

Now, the days where I focus only on the difficulties or simply forget this morning time with God, those day seems to drag, and I lack a certain energy to traverse the day.  In other words, those concerns are a drain on me.

The days where I take time to thank God for all that He’s done and given me, there’s a certain pep to my step.  I’m more energetic and see most situations in a much more positive light.

I think this part of Paul’s letter to the Christian church in the city of Philippi sums up the idea I’m trying to express

Philippians 4: 4-9 ⁴ Be glad in the Lord always! Again I say, be glad! ⁵ Let your gentleness show in your treatment of all people. The Lord is near. ⁶ Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks. ⁷ Then the peace of God that exceeds all understanding will keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus. ⁸ From now on, brothers and sisters, if anything is excellent and if anything is admirable, focus your thoughts on these things: all that is true, all that is holy, all that is just, all that is pure, all that is lovely, and all that is worthy of praise. ⁹ Practice these things: whatever you learned, received, heard, or saw in us. The God of peace will be with you.

By starting a day with a thankful heart, it gives you appreciation of what you DO have rather than a focus of what you don’t or what you need and/or want.  I’ve decided that my days will start with giving thanks.   I’d ask that you give this a try as well.  See how things go for just 30-days.  Initially it’ll be very difficult, but as each day passes, you’ll find it easier.  By the end of that time, I think you’ll find it comes much easier and I suspect that your days will wind up being just a bit more positive.  I’d even wager that there’s a lot more for which to be thankful than you could ever imagine.

Start today and let me know how it goes.