I work with a person that has a habit of giving the rest of us weekly warnings. About two out of five days each week she says, “I am letting all of you know… I am in a bad mood today. So if I yell at you, you’ve been warned.” Most of the time, we ignore her warnings because she is miserable on the other three days of the week too. And I hate to admit it, but I used to be the same way. That is, I used to be like that until I found inspiration in the scriptures.
New Every Morning
I confess that everyday is not perfect for me either. But I find that I am able to successfully face the challenges of the day as long as I invite God to be a part of it. I literally start the day with three words, “Good morning Father.” In Lamentations 3:23 it says, great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning (NLT). I awake each morning with the understanding that the failures and pitfalls of yesterday have expired. I can’t allow those things to follow me into the next day. Even if I was capable of maxing out the capacity of God’s faithfulness and mercy, both have been sufficiently refilled for today. It is always an amazing encouragement to me to know that I am not bound by yesterday’s failures. Every morning is a new and fantastic opportunity for embracing God’s ways, seeking forgiveness, pursuing a close relationship with God and enjoying the day that the Lord has placed in front of me. When I start my day with God in mind, I think I am putting everything in its proper position. If you place God first, and live righteously, He will give you everything you need (Matthew 6:33).
Remember Me
But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; remember your wonderful deeds of long ago.
Psalm 77:11 New Living Translation
About halfway through my morning I take a fifteen minute break. I often use that time to go for a walk. I recall one particular time where I was down in the dumps about some expensive home repairs. I had no idea where I was going to find the money. In addition, I honestly felt like God was ignoring my prayers. I was starting to feel desperate and abandoned. I remember going for a walk and I started praying. At first my prayers felt forced and hollow. I thought to myself, “If God is done helping me; it would be good to just remember a better time, a time of blessings.” As if God had forgotten, I began reminding Him of His goodness. “Father, do you remember the time my brakes failed? I had just the right amount of money in savings necessary for the repairs. And God, do you recall the time I was sick…” I spent about ten minutes reminding God of every good experience we had. The prayer that started out in drudgery and uncertainty, ended in renewed hope and confidence. In the end I realized I was not reminding God, I was reminding me of His faithfulness.
Just like the author of Psalm 77, I was facing hardships, but I remembered the goodness of God. And at that point I also remembered that God would be with me, no matter the outcome. Sometimes, remembering the wonderful deeds of the Lord are the very things that alter your perception from worry back to a place of hope and confidence.
Change of Mood
Whatever is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report, “if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things.” – Philippians 4:8 New International Version
Are you ever in a great mood, but it seems like everyone else isn’t? It seemed like others around me had taken an over-dose of angry pills. In addition, “bad mood” lady had given her warning that day. Like any job, sometimes the whole office is happy (except for bad mood lady) and sometimes the whole office seems unpleasant, just like bad mood lady. Well, today was one of those objectionable days. And as I tried to navigate the mine field of attitudes and tempers, I too found that I was being infected. So I stole away into an empty office to play Bible roulette. If you aren’t familiar, it’s the sport of opening the Bible and reading wherever it falls open. In this case, my Bible opened to Philippians 4.
Instead of focusing on angry lady and her minions, I focused on whatever I found to be true and good. I searched my mind for things that are praiseworthy. You know what? That verse began to affect me. My mood began to change and I responded to the angry people with understanding. Instead of being sensitive to their words and actions, I began to identify with their frustration. For some, I offered words of encouragement. For others, I offered to serve them by getting them coffee. In general, I started to turn the other cheek and repay them with good, even when they were sort of mean. If nothing else, just for a moment, I think I was who God wanted me to be. I think that for the day, I was being transformed.
I’ll keep this one
All that the father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.
John 6:37 New International Version
Sometimes I wonder how many more of my shenanigans God will endure. I seem to always be up to something. If it isn’t teasing and joking with friends, it is a phone prank or something worse.
I remember perfecting a voice impersonation of my grandmother. I did a test run on my brother Curtis. When I called, I was so convincing that all of my nieces and nephews took turns getting on the phone to say hello to grandma. When Curtis finally got to the phone it was all I could do to keep from laughing. We exchanged a few words and finally Curt asked, “Grandma, you sound like you have a cold?” I couldn’t hold the laughter in anymore. Curtis told me to never call his house again.
But then there are other things I have gotten myself into that weren’t so humorous. Decades ago I vandalized a car to “pay back” some people for causing my father some trouble. They paid me back by burning down my parent’s garage. By now you would think that God may have finally tired of me. By now you would think that after a burned out garage, a torched car in that same fire, and not being able to call my brother would be enough to calm me down…
Here’s the thing… we are all still under construction. Or as people in an old church I attended used to say, “God is not through with me yet.” As long as you want to stay with God, He won’t be getting rid of you any time soon. As long as you want to stay, even if you can’t call your brother or your car is a charred crisp, He will never push you away.
At the end of the day
O’ Lord, you have searched me and you know me. Psalm 139:1 New International Version
I want to share a story from my life that may be helpful. At the end of the day I went to the hospital to see my father. I wanted to read Bible scripture to him, but I hadn’t been a believer long enough to know what to read. My wife suggested reading from Psalms. As my father lay there, laboring for each breath, I began reading Psalm 139. Little did I know that these would be the last words I ever said to him. He passed away the following morning.
It has been around sixteen years since his passing. There is hardly a time that I run across these words that I do not think of my dad. The memory of his passing seems to be intermingled with the joy of the message that is tucked away in this scripture.
I admit that there are times when I feel somewhat lost. I sometimes feel as if I am alone and no one knows the real me… but God does. God knows who we really are and He isn’t disappointed. Whenever I reflect on Psalm 139:1 I am reminded that even though God has searched us thoroughly, He still likes us, in spite of our failings. Or maybe I should say that He loves us and He likes us. One time someone told me that I was unlikeable. But God does not feel that way about me and He does not feel that way about you. God’s love for us is boundless. I am convinced that death and life, neither the present nor the future nor any powers, neither height not depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39). No matter what you have said or done, run to Him. He knows all about you, all the good and the bad and He still loves you. He will never turn you away (John 6:37).