I recently came across the following quote which struck me as very apt:
A smile is the lighting system of the face, the cooling system of the head and the heating system of the heart.
They always say we use less muscles to smile than to frown, therefore let’s spread some joy by sharing a smile with everyone you see.
Put a smile on your face whether you feel like it or not. If you smile on purpose you may end up laughing a lot ~ Joyce Meyer
It’s true isn’t it, smiling/laughing can be infectious can’t it. Therefore whether you have a heavy heart, or life couldn’t be better for you…keep smiling, because as they say…
Smile and the world smiles with you
During our toughest times it can seem as if God has forgotten about us (see my blog post entitles Cleansing for more details), but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
God is working in you and in your life right now. You may not feel it or see it, but you can believe it! ~ Joyce Meyer
There’s not a lot I can add to that statement from Joyce, other than keep on believing, because God will answer your prayers, maybe not today or tomorrow or in the way you would have wished, but He will answer your prayers.
God IS working in your life even when it may seem as if He’s forgotten you.
The last few days I’ve spoken about how we let our emotions rule our lives sometimes and also about how it’s through living through tough situations that we grow as people and as Christians.
I’m sure you’ll all agree with me, when I say that we’re all guilty of continually thinking about negative or difficult events that have happened in our life, especially when the outcome or impact of those events was not a positive one or one we hoped for.
The longer you think about the wrong things, the harder it will be to get rid of them. – Joyce Meyer
We really do need to take control of our lives by giving all those things to God, and leaving them there, along with our emotions and our hurts. Only then will we be able to learn from those experiences, and move on without letting those things have a negative impact on us.
Do you let your feelings and emotions rule your life sometimes? I know I sometimes do, and then I feel annoyed and disappointed at myself for letting them!
If you will stop feeding your feelings, then they will stop controlling you. ~ Joyce Meyer
Yes, it’s true, we are all guilty at times of “feeding” our feelings and therefore letting them rule how we live our lives. But we don’t have to, if we give God all our upsets, annoyances and despairs, He will help us live with them, without letting them rule us anymore.
So go on, give all those things that are ruling your live and controlling your emotions , to God today.
In the last couple of days in Three Answers and Patience is Genius I’ve talked about prayer and how God sometimes answers our prayers the way we want, sometimes He answers them in a different way entirely and sometimes He simply says, “Not yet”.
Today I’m thinking about what we do when we feel God isn’t answering our prayers. i.e. When we get frustrated or annoyed that God doesn’t seem to be answering our prayers. Well I can talk from experience here, as a few years ago when I was at my lowest point and felt as if God had abandoned and forgotten about me, I turned to other people hoping they would meet my needs.
A few weeks ago I read the following quote from Joyce Meyer:
Stop looking to people to meet your needs. Stop going to them instead of Him!
I should have known better than to go to other people, as I’m sure it’ll not surprise you when I tell you that they let me down n really did abandon me. Yes that hurt me and disappointment me, but it all turned out well as if I’d just waited for God’s answer to my prayer instead of trying to force an answer from someone else, life would have been easier for me. Having said that though, it’s only because I’ve been through that situation that I can be honest with you here and urge you to keep talking to God, even if it seems He’s ignoring you…He’s not ignoring you He’s simply waiting until the time is right for Him to answer your prayers.
Here’s the International Staff Band of the Salvation Army playing Jesus Answers Prayer:
God does answer prayer, and He will answer your prayers in His time so be patient!
No matter what you might be facing right now or what comes up in the future, remember two things: God is with you—and He’s in control. ~ Joyce Meyer
Life can really be tough at times, and it can feel as if no-one cares about us. However it’s then we must remind ourselves that someone does care about us…God cares about us, and is always here with us, and He’s calling us to trust in Him.
Have you put your full trust in God?
Following on from yesterday’s blog post entitled Ready For A Change where I challenged you to consider whether you were ready to change for God, I now want you to consider what you ask for when you pray…
Are you praying for your will today or for God’s will in your life? ~ Joyce Meyer
It’s all well and good saying you are ready and willing to change for God, but when it comes down to your relationship with God, are you actually still praying for your desires and your wishes when you talk to God, or are you leaving it all to Him to plan your life?
So today’s challenge is this…
Are you praying that God’s will be done in your life, or are you still holding onto your own desires?
It’s only human nature, but we I’m sure we all find ourselves comparing ourselves to others at some time or another. However there is no need to compare ourselves with anyone other than Jesus…
Don’t live life comparing yourself to everyone else. God has created you to be you and you are free to be yourself! – Joyce Meyer
God wants us to be ourself!
We may not be perfect, we may not be able to do all the things we would like to be able to do, however God can help us be just who and what He wants us to be…ourself!
