genuine, heartfelt thanks

 Friday, January 29, 2021 (5:35 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You. How I love coming before You with genuine, heartfelt thanks. You are good. Holy. Always deserving of our thanks and praise.

I, on the other hand, am fickle. Far too often led by my emotions. Looking to You once again I’m asking for the guidance and direction in accepting myself exactly as I am. Loving, trusting and following You every single step of the way.

You have provided for our every single need. You know what is best. And I thank You Lord for who and all You are.

Turning to Psalm 92 this morning I’m thrilled to be reminded, “It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to the Most High. It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening” (v. 1-2).

Father, I confess to so easily being led by my emotions. And even here You speak to me.

Illustrated Bible Handbook. Faith and Feelings tells of “free and open expression of emotions.” Thank You Father. Praise You Lord.

I read here of “positive” and “negative” feelings and the fact that “human frailty guarantees we will each be subject to the whole range of pleasant and unpleasant emotions.” My heart settles as I consider Your Truth. And again I say, “Thank You Father. Praise You Lord!”

Continuing in this Theology in Brief I take such joy in being reminded that it’s “through relationship with God we can move from fear to trust, from alienation to comfort, from envy and jealousy to joy.” And just when I think I’ve read enough, there’s more!

“Many of the psalms actually trace the process by which feelings are transformed and brought into harmony with reality.” This is Truth on which I depend Lord.

Your Word and promises free us to pour our thoughts and feelings out to You. Trusting You to align us with Your will and Your way.

Lord God, I am asking You to use me as You know is best. I’ve fallen back into studying myself harshly. This section tells us “we are never to judge the strength or validity of our faith by our feelings. Instead we are to let God shape our feelings as we relate to Him.”

Continuing to the end of this paragraph I am again reminded, “We cannot completely change our own feelings simply by willing them to be different. But as we focus on who God is, and the meaning of our relationship with Him, God will graciously work in our emotional life as well as in our understanding, and shape us to His image.”

With that being said Lord, I confess to having heard myself say of another just the other day, “I wish I could be more like her. What would it be like to be that joyful?” The countering thought came immediately. “Why not just be happy being yourself?” Yeah. What would that be like?

Just be happy being me. Do all You must blessed God. You have provided us riches and blessings beyond compare. I want to utilize and truly appreciate them exactly as You have designed. Praise You Father. Genuinely. Heartily.

I love You Lord. I thank You. And I ask You to continue Your work in, with, by, through and for me. Making me all You would have me be. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(572 words ~ 9:19 a.m.)