Receive every day as a resurrection from death, as a new enjoyment of life; meet every rising sun with such sentiments of God’s goodness, as if you had seen it, and all things, new-created upon your account: and under the sense of so great a blessing, let your joyful heart praise and magnify so good and glorious a Creator.
Happy New Year, everyone. A new year showing up on our calendars does not change our circumstances, not by any means. However, we can change our outlook by anticipating what God will do in impossible situations. He has done it before; He will do it again. Get out a piece of paper and a pen and start listing all the things that God has done for you in 2020. You might have to prime the pump a tiny bit, but once you start to look around and see God’s provision, not just in a material sense, you will be focused on thankfulness. Thankfulness always leads to hope.
Thankfulness is not an emotion, it’s a lifestyle.
When it comes to our relationship with God, nothing is of higher importance and greater significance than gratitude. There is no more game-changing resolution than this: I will not let the discouragement of what I’m going through make me forget the benefits of belonging to the God who has been so good to me. He has saved me, blessed me, forgiven me, restored me, satisfied me, healed me, crowned me, and renewed me.
He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain watering the earth. (Hos. 6:3) How does a person receive rain? Not by prying it loose from the sky but just by watching it fall, by standing in the downpour, by thanking Him for opening up the floodgates and sending what He knows we need and can’t get for ourselves, yet what He so faithfully, regularly, and graciously gives.
Starting a series of previous Corrie Ten Boom Quotes from the DCQ archives.
I am finding much comfort in her writings during the season of global isolation in 2020
Often I have heard people say, “How good God is! We prayed that it would not rain for our church picnic, and look at the lovely weather!” Yes, God is good when He sends good weather. But God was also good when He allowed my sister, Betsie, to starve to death before my eyes in a German concentration camp. I remember one occasion when I was very discouraged there. Everything around us was dark, and there was darkness in my heart. I remember telling Betsie that I thought God had forgotten us. “No, Corrie,” said Betsie, “He has not forgotten us. Remember His Word: “For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him.” Corrie concludes, “There is an ocean of God’s love available – there is plenty for everyone. May God grant you never to doubt that victorious love – whatever the circumstances.”
April 10, 2020
Count your gains instead of your losses,
Count your joys instead of your woes,
Count your friends instead of your foes,
Count your courage instead of your fears,
Count your health instead of your wealth,
Count on God instead of yourself.
The failure to return thanks for definite blessings received is a manifestation of ingratitude that grieves Jesus Christ.
I choose patience…I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I’ll invite him to do so. Rather than complaining that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.
We can glorify God in many different ways, but praise is at the top. When we praise Him we enter into His realm, giving assent to His Person, accepting His Perfect Will, and agreeing with all His Plans for our lives. The leap of faith will always be heard by the shout of praise!