Oh, give thanks to the Lord!
Call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples!
Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;
Talk of all His wondrous works!
(1 Chr 16:8-9)
At the
end of a long day, we plop ourselves down on the sofa and talk with our loved
ones about our day. If we pay attention to the content, have you ever noticed
that our speech often tends toward venting? No matter how well things are going, there is usually something that isn’t quite right or could
be better.
While there
is nothing wrong with sharing the frustrating parts of our day, let us think
about how often we share the positives – if at all. Is it because we did not
receive any blessings that day or they were that scarce?
While we may
all agree in theory that it is good to share our joys, it can be hard to do
when those things are not at the forefront of our mind. It is not easy to
praise God when we are not prepared to do so, whereas we can go on and on about
the things causing stress or anxiety without forethought.
Therefore,
let us first be intentional about noticing His daily grace to us. Even in the
most difficult trial, there is still redeeming grace that pulls us through and
special mercies that make things easier to bear.
Next, let
us not keep God’s grace to ourselves!
I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth;
Yes, I will praise Him among the multitude.
(Ps 109:30)
We can
make it a point every day to share at least one positive thing about that day.
As we do this consistently, we will grow more sensitive to the numerous ways –
big and small – that He brings joy to our lives. As our awareness grows, may our
words of appreciation flow accordingly.
Questions for Reflection
1. Pay
attention to the content of your daily conversations. How much of the time is
spent in venting versus sharing the good?
2. Tell
one person today how God has blessed you or worked in your life.