Journals of the Heart

Word of the Day

Beloved, thankfulness of heart and a grateful attitude has much power to combat the lulling of prosperity and success. Being thankful keeps you from taking credit for your own accomplishments and brings a heart of contentment and peace in the troughs of trying and sometime debilitating circumstances or situations. Not only does thankfulness keep you afloat in stormy weather but it also keeps you from being full of your own self. It enables you to know which side your bread is buttered on.

Beloved, you must stick close at hand and ride with me…travel with Me. You must acclimate yourself to following the cloud by day and the fire by night and never be deceived or lulled into a complacent and undiscerning place by the environment around you whether it appear good or bad.

As I told you before, a lush environment can often be deceptive if you are not walking with a grateful and contented heart. For many times the bite of unseen things has more power to destroy than the things you can see. When you see things up front and personal you know for the most part how to change, how to move, when to flee or make any necessary adjustments along the way.

What hides in invisible realms are a whole different matter for they are such things as complacency, apathy and refusal to believe difficult things can happen to good people. Have you not heard about the trying of your faith and the fruit of patience (James 1:2-4)? It takes both the lush and the barren to complete the perfection of a thing just as all the seasons work together for the good when it comes to harvest time. Therefore, let patience have its perfect work and you will be found lacking in nothing…Read Complete Love Letter

Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing (James 1:2-4 Amplified)

Prayer

I give You thanks Lord, for I know You are my all and all. I acknowledge You in all I do, and I praise You for You establish my thoughts. Godliness with contentment is great gain and I have great gain in You. I thank You for the ability to be content in the midst of trials and tribulations with the faith that You are with me in the storms of life as well as in the good times.

Lord I can count it all joy, no matter what the circumstance I face for I know You never leave me nor forsake me. I will follow where You lead, as we travel this journey called life. Teach me to follow Your ways, cloud by day or fire by night. As I follow You, increase my discernment to be aware of the unseen things that would desire to bite and devour me. Give me the wisdom to know how to deal with all that You reveal to me. I let patience have its perfect work in me, praising You in the midst of the trying of my faith, knowing in the end I will lack nothing. Amen

Reflect and Journal

1. Write down the benefits you believe there are for being grateful and having a thankful heart.
2. What are the dangers of taking credit for your own accomplishments?
3. Ask yourself if you are truly willing to acclimate yourself to follow the Lord, cloud by day, and fire by night so to speak. Are you really willing to travel with the Lord? If so, write what you think that might require of you to let go of.
4. Write what you think are the hidden or invisible things that could be a hindrance to your ability to follow the Lord and travel where He leads.