December 9

"Always be happy..." (1Thessalonians 5:16)

John C. Maxwell says in one of his books about his father, who has always been a fine role model for him. One of my father's strengths was his positive attitude to all who met him. At one point, Maxwell discovered that his father had a large number of books on how to develop a positive attitude towards life. He asked his father if he, who is now seventy years old and had always been such a positive person, still read those books. The father replied:

'My son, I have to constantly work on my mind-set. It is my responsibility to develop a positive attitude and it is my responsibility to maintain it. A positive attitude is not something that comes to you automatically. "

Today's scripture tells us to always be happy. Joy is the strongest weapon in the spiritual struggle. Who can argue with joy? One can argue with my testimony about Jesus and think that I am wrong, but you can’t argue with my joy, and say that you can’t possibly be that joyful. The prophet Nehemiah knew this when he wrote: "The joy the Lord gives is your strength" (Neh 8:10). But to preserve the joy is something we have to watch over all the time, in order that we not sour with age.

Prayer

Jesus, thank You for helping me to have a positive attitude towards the people I meet today and the situations that I will be in. Help me to keep my joy in You no matter what faces me.