Heavenly Father, I praise You for teaching me that joy is not just happiness. I praise You for teaching me wisdom and learning to instill the various ‘fruits of the Spirit’ within who I am. I praise You for the faith and hope that continue to grow in the person I am becoming. Help me to continue to grow, learn, and become the person you desire me to be.
Holy Spirit, help me to incorporate the advice and instruction that Paul gave to the Thessalonians almost 2000 years ago: Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. [1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, MEV] I will rejoice when it is appropriate, I will give thanks for all that You have done for me and all that You walk with me through. I will definitely pray without ceasing, for this is what keeps me from letting depression or Satan’s assaults on me take over my thoughts, anxiety, or fears. I realize now in life that I am way more vulnerable than I ever thought I was. Losing Philip taught me well how far I am not in control of the world around me. The anxiety that I have been pressed with since working where I do for the last 22, almost 23 years, has taken a toll on my confidence and my reality in most situations. I am a person who confronts my problems as best I can, and in years past, I did not always seek the Lord in helping me solve them. Now I have learned that only by seeking the Lord can I truly face and defeat or solve most problems that come my way. So, I will rejoice, pray, and give thanks as often as I can.
Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith—to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever, Amen. (Romans16:25-27)