This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24, ESV).
I work from home and then I go work from my office. Or I work from the office and then work at home. Sometimes I mix things up and just go for a bike ride.
No matter where I work or what I do, whether traveling, house maintenance, or paying bills, I decided a decade ago that I would enjoy the day.
Mostly I do, but too often I allow worries to ruin it. Below are passages, along with thoughts, that I use to begin my day.
What will give me joy today?
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones (Proverbs 17:22).
A few minutes with God in the morning is the best way to start your day. Ask God tomorrow morning, “God, as I look at my schedule for today, what gives me joy and what gives me anxiety?”
Then thank the Lord for the joy and cast the anxiety upon Him.
I have found starting the day with both praise and request allows the asks to become the joys of tomorrow – especially when you review the day in the evening and notice how the Lord strengthened worry into victory.
The threefold blessing of 1 Peter 3:
1. Speak Blessings!
The one who desires life, to love and see good days, must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit (1 Peter 3:10).
Ask God for a tongue that blesses each morning. Turn away from sarcasm and course jesting. Your speech – both what you say and how you react to the words of others – will determine your joy for the day.
2. Do Good!
He must turn away from evil and do good (1 Peter 3:11).
Begin the day by considering an act of kindness. Pay your tithes, call someone that the Lord places on your spirit, or email me if you need a suggestion (I have pastors from around the world asking me to pray for their legitimate needs).
Pastor Grant’s rule of overcoming worry: The more you think about it, the more it entangles you; the more you serve others, the less it bothers you.
3. Seek Peace!
Seek peace and pursue it (1 Peter 3:11).
When you listen to the Lord early in the morning, He will reveal your troubled relationships. Make every attempt to maintain the unity of the Spirit!
Keep a list of the difficult relationships in your Bible. Review it often and ask God what you can do to restore, maintain, or increase unity. Confession, repentance, speaking truth in love, patience, and above all, praying, are the tools of peace found in the New Testament.
Ask God to reveal His path to you!
You will make known to me the path of life (Psalms 16:11).
God has a narrow path for you.
God has set you aside with talents and experiences for today. Every morning remind yourself that for such a time as this you were created. Wherever you go today and whatever you have planned, there is a path for you to serve God.
Joy in life is rooted in serving God.