"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things." Philippians 4:8 (NIV)
These words of Scripture greeted me as I opened my Upper Room Daily Devotional email this morning. I sorely needed the words and reminder this first day of August.
A headache and other discomfort from either allergies or a cold have zapped my energy since sometime Friday or Saturday (four or five days ago). I keep trying to will myself not to be sick, but I end up back in bed for at least a nap. And for some reason, when I don't have energy, my mental outlook plummets.
I kept trying to battle my attitude, shifting from reading Scripture and praying to trying to take right actions in hopes a right attitude would follow. Nothing seemed to be working. But I kept on.
By the end of the day, my outlook is better.
A related essay by the Upper Room devotional writer, Jane Reid, also offered positive guidance for me. She wrote that we need to practice praying. One good prayer practice she suggested was "to come to God with no agenda, simply because we want to be in God's presence." She proposed that could be the key to making the 1 Thessalonians 5:17 call to "pray without ceasing" become possible in our busy lives.
"If we want to grow close to God, we need to practice doing the impossible, and we have to trust God for the results," she wrote.
This echoes 12-Step guidance I've been trying to incorporate into my life.
Today, trusting God for the results meant to keep on doing the best I could, one little action after another, even when it seemed like I wasn't getting anything accomplished.
I made a couple of phone calls, including to a friend whose call I had let go to voicemail on Monday, and also made another offer to help someone. I did some research on a task I've been assigned that is outside my comfort zone. And then I pulled some crabgrass from the front lawn that sprung up quickly after our most recent rains.
Some things I had hoped would be resolved today are still unanswered. So I get to continue to trust God for the results. I am grateful for the lessons of today and the guidance of Scripture.
"So, brothers and sisters, because of God’s mercies, I encourage you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to God. This is your appropriate priestly service. Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God’s will is—what is good and pleasing and mature." Romans 12:1-2
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