No matter what our circumstances, we all have 24 hours today at our disposal. No matter what our situation, each of us has the choice to either see today as an opportunity or just another day to survive. We can choose to be a victim of what’s been done to us, or we can rise above it and not allow the actions of others to determine our happiness and the direction of our lives.
For years I lived a life of insecurity and anger because I allowed the things that other people did to me, to drown out what Jesus did for me on the cross. Until recently I believed what other people said about me, instead of listening to what Jesus had to say about me. But I soon realised… that could only happen if I gave it permission to happen. And, by the way, sometimes we believe that others are saying – and thinking things about us, that aren’t even happening. That nosey, noisy little voice in your head that tries to bring you down and discourage you, is nothing more the enemy’s lies. And when you choose to listen to those lies, you are choosing not to pursue the life that God intended for you.
It blows me away that those of us who live in 1st world countries and live privileged lives, struggle to find true happiness. We struggle to know our true identity and we always seem to carry “The world on our shoulders”. Juxtaposed with that, there are so many people with real issues like poverty, hunger and thirst, who are always smiling and seem to take life in their stride. If we can learn 3 things in life that will make all the difference, it is this:
- True joy and peace do not depend on our circumstances – until we realise that, we will always find something to complain about and feel sorry for ourselves
- God doesn’t owe us anything – we love to blame God when things go wrong, and we often treat Him like our butler who needs to jump went we want something. The quicker we realise that God is in control and that we are only here because of His grace, the sooner we will start appreciating what life we have and stop wishing for the things we don’t!
- Jesus wants to have a personal relationship with us – it still blows me away that the creator of the universe is so in love with me and that He cares about my life and all its details.
Choose today to have a positive attitude because you know that God loves you and has created you for bigger things. Have an awesome day!
Mark Davidson
