Begin with two minutes of silence and stillness before God.

No matter where we are in life, we should be thankful. The posture of our heart and proper perspective matter. David opens Psalms 107 with "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." If we start and end each day in thankfulness to God, it changes how we see the world and helps us to have a positive day, no matter what happens. Paul understood this even though he had been in prison. He said, "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  Do not let your situation dictate your emotions. God has you in a particular place in this life. He will fully take care of you, and He wants to use you to positively influence others in this world. We are so blessed to live where we live and have what we have. We live in a time of ease, regardless of how much money or "stuff" you have. We have air conditioning, fast food, phones with immediate access to people or information, quick medical care, medicine, and the list goes on. No matter what is going on in our lives, like Paul, let us be content and live for Christ, not our own selfish desires. And this life you experience will be different for the good.

Another important part of perspective is understanding that people will let us down, but God will not. He has a perfect plan, even though we do not see it at times. The only thing that can ruin God's perfect plan is our poor decision-making. If you rely on people or yourself over our Savior, you can find yourself in a frustrating situation. In Psalm 108, David said, "Give us aid against the enemy, for human help is worthless. With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies."   Every single day, there is nothing that will come up that me and the Lord cannot handle! By myself, I have no shot! But God will help us trample every situation. All we have to do is something many of us struggle with so greatly, have patience and trust Him.

Prayer: Lord, give me self-control to not be influenced emotionally by the actions and words of others, but to influence others with Your words, Godly wisdom, and character.

Take two minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

Use the S.O.A.P. Method to study God's Word.

• SCRIPTURE: What stands out to you in today's passage?
• OBSERVATION: What is this text saying? What is the context? How does it fit with the verses before and after it? Are there any commands, instructions, or promises?
• APPLICATION: How can you apply this verse to your life? What does this mean today? What is God saying to you?
• PRAYER: Respond to the passage in prayer. Ask God to help you apply this truth to your life and spend some time listening to what He may be telling you.