What kind of person have you become through the years? Has your spirit been negative or positive toward life? One wife said, "My husband is so negative that when he wakes up in the morning, he either says, 'Oh no, I overslept!' or 'Oh no, I woke up too early!'" Sound familiar? Would you describe your spouse in similar terms? Would your spouse describe you in that way? Thousands of people choose to live life with a negative attitude. Something is always wrong with everything.
Would you like to change? You can! Repeat this Scripture aloud every morning: "This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalm 118:24). If you proclaim this truth to yourself, you will begin to see God's hand. And your relationships will improve.
Take time to pray, and in your prayer...
Take the words of Psalm 118:24 to heart. Rejoice in the day the Lord has given you;
Tell Him what you appreciate about it and why;
Show Him your thankfulness in no uncertain terms.
When you make time to discuss or reflect on these questions:
How would you describe your own outlook on life? Would your spouse agree?
How would you describe your spouse's outlook on life? Would he or she agree?
How does your attitude affect the people around you?
Consider these passages for further study on rejoicing:
Psalm 5:11-12 But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
12 Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous;
you surround them with your favor as with a shield
Psalm 28:6-7 Praise be to the Lord,
for he has heard my cry for mercy.
7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
and with my song I praise him.
Phillippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
It's easier to control when you become more aware of your thoughts and language. Sometimes, others will make you aware. So, it's great to catch it now and have a mindset of rejoicing in the Lord first. Rejoice and be grateful when you wake up and before you go to sleep. Great thoughts from Gary Chapman to help us know our priorities and focus first on the Lord.