By Joyce Meyer -

It's important to renew our minds, but it's also important to realize that this process of reprogramming or renewing our minds will take place little by little.  Don't be discouraged if progress seems slow.  Don't get down when you have setbacks or bad days.  Just get back up, dust yourself off and start again.

When a baby is learning to walk, he falls many, many times before he develops the ability to walk without falling; however,  the baby is persistent.  He may cry for a while after he falls down, but he always gets right back up and tries again.

Learning to change our thinking works the same way.  We struggle and fall down, but God is always there to pick us up.  Rather than get frustrated, you should, as the Bible says, "triumph" in your hardship, because the very fact that you're struggling means that you're fighting the good fight.

There will be days when we don't do everything right, days when our thinking is negative.  But never stop trying.  God is gradually bringing us around to His way of thinking.  Just don't give up!

Romans 5:3 - Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance

Prayer Starter:  Lord, thank You for picking me up when I fall down.  I know that my struggles mean that You are helping me overcome my negative mindsets and bringing me more and more in line with Your way of thinking.

By Joyce Meyer -

Many people want change, but they don't want to go through the waiting process.  But the truth is, waiting is a given, we are going to wait.  The question is, are we going to wait the wrong or right way?  If we wait the wrong way, we'll be miserable' but if we decide to wait God's way, we can become patient and actually enjoy the wait.

It takes practice, but as we let God help us in each situation, we develop patience, which s one of the most important Christian virtues.  Patience is a fruit of the Spirit.  It's developed only under trial, so me must not run from difficult situations.

As we develop patience, the Bible says we finally feel completely satisfied, lacking nothing.  Even our relationship with God involves progressive changes.  We learn to trust Him in a deeper way by going through many experiences that require us to wait longer than we'd like.

Trust me, the waiting may be hard, but it will make you stronger.  The benefits that patience brings are certainly worth any uncomfortable wait!

Galatians 5:22 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness

Prayer Starter:  God, I want to change and grow deper in my relationship with You.  I understand that this means developing pateince, but I know that I will grow stronger as You develop patience in me.

By Joyce Meyer -

As Christians, we like the though of sharing in Christ's glory, but what about sharing in His suffering?  Jesus took care of the death penalty once and fora ll so we don't ever have to worry about that again.  But the Bible teaches that we must suffer times of trial if we are to share in the glory.  Is it worth it?  According to Romans 8:18 it certainly is!

We tend to believe that we suffer because of our circumstances and if they would only change, we'd be able to act right.  But God wants us to become so mature and stable that we act right even when none of our circumstances are good.  There are different levels of faith, and most of the time we want to use our faith to get rid of all suffering.  But sometimes God's planis for us to exercise a higher level of faith that will carry us through life's challenges.

Too often we marvel at the delivering power of God and overlook His keeping, strengtheing and enabling power.  Jesus promised in John 16:33 that He will give us His peace during the trials of life and the power we need  to overcome them.  I encourage you today, if you are going through a time of suffering, take heart because in Christ, you will come through it and share in His glory which shall be revealed!

Romans 8:18 - I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

Prayer Starter:  Lord, Paul said that present sufferings are nothing compared to the glory that comes from walking with You.  I want to have that same attitude.  I receive your enabling power to walk through any suffering that comes my way.

By Joyce Meyer -

Are you waiting for the desires of your heart to begin to manifest?  Are you praying for bondages to fall off of you so you can see your dreams come to pass?  Are you waiting and praying for the salvation of friends and family? Are you trusting God for prosperity, favor, promotion, honor, and all the blessings found in His Word?

Are you tired of waiting for harvest time in your life?  Are you frustrated, crying out, "When, God, when?"  Then you need to understand that God's timing is often a mystery, He doesn't do things on our timetable.  Yet His Word promises that He will not be late, not one single day.

God causes things to happen at exactly the right time!  Your job is not to figure out when, but to make up your mind that you won't give up until you cross the finish line and are living in the radical, outrageous blessings of God!  The more you trust Jesus and keep your eyes focused on Him, the more life you;ll have Trusting God brings life.  Believing brings rest.  So stop trying to figure everything out, and let God be God in your life.

Habakkuk 2:3 - For the revelation awaits an appointed time;  it speaks of the end and will not prove false.  Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.

Prayer Starter:  God, I know that Your timing is perfect, even when I grow tired of waiting.   Help me to trust in You and rest in Your plan for me.

By Joyce Meyer -

There are usually two sides to everything.  The cross has two:  a crucifixion side and a resurrection side.  Jesus had to endure one side to get to the other. But if e he hadn't endured, then we'd all still be left without a Savior and no forgiveness of our sins.

Hebrew 12:2 says that Jesus, for the joy of obtaining the prize on the other side of the cross, the resurrection, endured the pain.  Like Jesus, we have to endure bad things.  To endure means  to outlast the devil; to be steadfast long enough to let the trial do whatever it's going to do in our lives and get from one side of the cross to the other.

Whether we're hit by an unexpected circumstance, suffering for doing something wrong or for resisting temptation and sin by doing what's right, we have to go through things.  But waiting for you on the other side of the hard times is the joy of obtaining the prize, the good result.

Today, be encouraged by the way Jesus handled trials.  He knew the joy that wass before Him and persevered until the end.  He's given you the power to do the same.

Hebrews 12:2 - Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.  For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Prayer Starter:  God, I want to endure like Jesus.  Help me to get a vision for the joy of obtaining the prize that awaits me so that I can endure whatever trial comes my way.

By Joyce Meyer - 

God wants us to have joy in the midst of our ordinary, everyday life, even on the worst days of our life.

There were times in my life when I dreaded facing each day.  All I could think about was my circumstances, wondering how Dave and I were going to pay the bills or get everything done that we needed to do .  Sometimes I wanted to pull the covers over my head and just stay in bed.

I was so wrapped up in worry that I was missing the point:  God had created a new day, and He created it so that I could enjoy it.  Every single day is filled with all kinds of situations that could upset you, things like losing your car keys or getting caught in a traffic jam.  But you can choose to be at peace and in control in the midst of them.

When you and I take our minds off of ourselves and our circumstances and put our focus on God and loving others, we are embracing an attitude that will bring honor to Him and enable us to view every day as an exciting, new gift from God.

Psalm 118:24 - The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad.

Prayer Starter:  God, thank you for the gift of a new day.  Instead of focusing on the frustrating things in life, I choose to be at peace in You and rejoice and be glad in it!

By Joyce Meyer -

When we experience terrible tragedy, being angry with God is quite common.  People frequently ask, "if God is good, all-powerful and full of love for us, why didin't He stop the thing that caused the pain?"

This is where Satan seeks to build a wall between God and the hurting person.  He seizes the opportunity to say, "God isn't good, and He can't be trusted."  However, we know according to the Word of God, the truth is not in Satan, he is a liar and the father of lies.

Read James 1:17.  Everything good comes from God. God is good, and He cannot be anything else.  Furthermore, He isn't one way one time and another way another time.  He doesn't change.  He is good, and that's the way He is.

It's obvious that God doesn't always stop tragedy, and we honestly don't always know why bad things happen.  First Corinthians 13:12 says, "...Now I know in part (imperfectly)..."  We have to remember that faith will always require us to accept unanswered questions, and we must come to the place where we're satisfied to know the One who knows and place our trust in Him.

JAMES 1:17 - Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Prayer Starter:  God, I may not always understand why bad things happen, but I know that You are good.  When I don't understand why, I will find my comfort in You.

Let the Storm Subside

By  Joyce Meyer -

I have faced so many storms in my life, some like the quick afternoon storms that are common in the summertime and some that seemed like category four hurricanes!

If I have learned anything about weathering those storms, it has been that they don't last forever, and I don't need to make major decisions in the midst of them.

Thoughts and feelings run wild in the midst of crises, but those are exactly the times we need to be careful about making decisions. I often say to myself, "Let emotions subside before you decide."

We must remain calm and discipline ourselves to focus on doing what we can do and trust God to do what we can't do.

Instead of drowning in worry and fear, get in touch with God, who sees past the storm and orchestrates the big picture.

He makes sure everything that needs to happen in our lives happens at the right time, moves at the appropriate speed, and causes us to arrive safely at the destinations He has planned for us.

Psalm 46: 1-11
1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Prayer Starter:  God, I know that I can't control everything, so I will do what I can and trust You to do what I can't do. The storms of life do not control me. I trust Your plans for me.

Source:  https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/199-promises-for-your-everyday-life/day/47