Morning Gratitude: Joy | Zach Clinton

0:00This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice, and be glad in it. Psalm 118, 24, Dear Heavenly Father, today I rise with gratitude, your loving kindness, wisdom, and abundant grace have filled me with the excitement to tackle each day with vigor and joy. I pray for your favor today, and that you would guide every step I take. Your word says that you have predestined good works for me to walk in, show me those good works today, and direct my steps as I pursue you. I love you and rely on your guidance for everything I do. And Jesus' name, amen.

1:01Thank you for joining me in prayer. Stay tuned for today's free podcast, Meditative Prayers with Zach Clinton, where you can draw close to God and find strength in him. Click the link in the description to grow closer to God. There you'll find daily prayers, Bible plans, sleep stories, and so much more, all on the Pray.com app. Click the link in the description to get started. This is an I Heart Podcast. Guaranteed Human. Life is a journey we were never meant to walk alone. At MetaShare, we believe in the power of community, a family of believers coming together to share hope, share health, and share healing. For over 30 years, MetaShare members have partnered to lighten one another's burdens, sharing not only prayers and encouragement, but also the cost of medical care. It's an affordable, faith-based way to care for your health while caring for others.

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4:06in your life. Your goal for today's meditative prayer is morning gratitude, so just take a second to relax. Look for a comfortable and quiet place. A place where you're focused this morning can be on this moment of reflection. Close your eyes and take a deep breath. And as you exhale, release the thoughts shifting around in your head. We'll be meditating on Psalm 118 verse 24 from the King James Version. It says, this is the day which the Lord hath made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Now, take a moment to pour out your adoration to God for blessing you with this day. God I praise you for this day and its possibilities for this opportunity. I praise you, the maker of this day and all others to come. But I worship you for giving me the ability to be glad and to rejoice in this day.

5:08I praise you, the creator of the heavens and the earth and everything in between. I know that you have created this day for me and given me a purpose within it. You see, each day is a new beginning. Sometimes that is seen as an opportunity and sometimes as a burden. Your perspective will affect your outcome. Outcomes of great joy and happiness are within your grasp. That is not to say there are no difficult days. Some days will be stifling and stressful, filled with shortcomings and setbacks. But let us now reflect for a moment on the times your choices were less than optimistic. Think on those situations where hardship got the best of you. Recent moments and circumstances in life that have been robbing you of your daily joy. Gather all those choices, decisions and thoughts and place them in the hands of Jesus.

6:14Confess to the Lord your feelings of apathy, sadness and discouragement and let the Holy Spirit minister to the areas of your heart where joy does not reign. My friends, take a moment now to dwell on previous mornings filled with joy and filled with gladness. Remember how it felt to allow cheerfulness to prevail over sadness. How wonderful it was to go about your day with a smile in your heart. Think how infectious happiness can be. Those past situations where you chose to start your day on a positive note. Think God for the ability to feel gladness and to rejoice. And gift banks for the moments when happiness was greater than hopelessness. Think God for the blessings of past seasons of cheerfulness and contentment and for those yet to come. And thank Him for the strength to choose joy and to keep choosing it day after day.

7:20And not forget, God is present and He is listening to you. He desires for you to live a life filled with joy and gladness. Jesus wants to turn your sorrow into joy and your mourning into dancing. So let Him pray for joy overwhelming, a joy that renews each day and asks the Holy Spirit to teach you to find joy even in the midst of sorrow. Ask Him to fill your heart with gladness beyond measure. Because remember, God has called us to live a life filled with joy and gladness. And even in the midst of hardship, happiness can be had. Do not be discouraged by past setbacks. You must remember there is always a choice and there is power in choosing. Your choice can and does affect your outcome. So choose joy for today and for every day to come.

8:20Choose the joy of the Lord and watch as that joy transforms your life. My friends, thank you for completing today's meditative prayer on pray.com by incorporating this healthy habit as a daily practice. You're making a prayer priority and strengthening your walk with God. And my name is Zach Linton from the American Association of Christian Counselors and we love being a part of your life. If today's reading moved you, the pray.com app is where you can go deeper with daily prayers, Bible plans and more. Download it free, link in the description. This is Jacob Goldstein from What's Your Problem. When you buy business software from lots of vendors, the cost adds up and it gets complicated

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