“Remember the Lord’s generosity to you, in gratitude joyfully share with others.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – December 31, 2021
Finally, brothers and sisters, fill your minds with beauty and truth. Meditate on whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is good, whatever is virtuous and praiseworthy. Keep to the script: whatever you learned and received and heard and saw in me—do it—and the God of peace will walk with you. Philippians 4:8-9, The Voice
Once we clear our calendar of unnecessary clutter and a breakneck pace of activity, we can prayerfully and wisely schedule more beneficial rhythms of life. This shift in time allotment takes trust. Trust that God will fill in the gaps of other responsibilities we are giving up for a greater good—and trust that our friends and family will respect our new priorities. When a “start doing list” follows the purging of a “stop doing list” the fruit of faith, hope and love flourishes.
Here are some ideas for a start doing list:
Elevate The Value of Relationships
Let love be your filter as you look at relationships in your life. Perhaps you start praying an unceasing pray similar to this: Precious Lord, show me today how you love me and how you love those I encounter, so all may experience your unfailing love. It seems like most relational angst is an absence of love, but when love leads the way our words are appetizing, our facial expressions are inviting and our time is a generous gift. Be with others who need to know you love them. Have no agenda, just be there for them to listen and learn. Relationships grow when unhurried.
“But now faith, hope, and love remain; these three virtues must characterize our lives. The greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13, The Voice).
Increase Silence and Solitude
You are best positioned to hear God’s heart in your heart when still, quiet and undistracted. Discover a block of time in the regular flow of your day and make a date with the divine. Morning, lunch, afternoon or evening, your heavenly Father is ever available to be with His beloved. Experience the Lord in His Word, the Bible—read a Psalm or Proverb each day. Study a theme like love (mentioned 686 times, NIV), faith (485), money (2,300), forgive (121). Consider one hour weekly, half a day monthly, two days quarterly and one week yearly to be still and silent with your Savior Jesus. The more unhurried time with Wisdom, leads you in God’s will.
“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength” (Isaiah 30:15).
Have More Fun
Give yourself permission to laugh, to do nothing, to play. Fun is medicine for the soul, healing for the heart, clarifying for the mind and energizing for the body. I have a sketch that hangs on my office wall titled, Laughing Jesus. Our Savior knows a merry heart is a reflection of God’s heart. A lost smile is vulnerable to fear and a laugh-less belly can lead to an unhealthy body. Do something you’ve always wanted to do—life is short. Most of all, remember the Lord’s generosity to you, in gratitude joyfully share with others. It’s fun to make others smile and laugh. Laughter is a contagion that makes everyone infected feel better. Start having more fun this year!
“A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance” (Ecclesiastes 3:4).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, show what you want me to start doing, so I am able to better rest in your will for my life, through Christ’s love, and in Jesus’ name, amen.
Application
What can I do to laugh more and help bring a smile to another’s face?
Related Reading
Isaiah 42:9, 43:19; Psalm 98:1; Matthew 4:19; John 8:12; Acts 12:8
Worship Resource
The Porter’s Gate: Wake Up Jesus
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