“The heavens declare the glory of God, the firmament shows his handiwork.” Psalm 19.1

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice…do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7, 8-9

“It’s a beautiful day!” my father often exclaimed on our crystal-clear fall days in Nebraska. The trees swaying in the gentle breeze exhibited vibrant oranges, yellows, and reds in stark contrast to the deep blue sky on our drive to yet another chemo treatment for my mother. He was deeply concerned about my mother’s pancreatic cancer, but the beauty of God’s creation overwhelmed him.

It was common for him to focus on the positive, to choose to fill his mind with the good things the Father has done, and to find the good in a bad situation. He often said, “Oh, Marilynn, it’s not that bad!” Or “Look on the bright side.” Or “Don’t get so excited!”

Paul exhorts the Philippians to “rejoice in the Lord always.” Think about the good things God has done for you. Let these things permeate your mind. Paul tells the people in Philippi to “think on these things…”, i.e., whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, or praise-worthy. If you do that, the peace of God will flood your soul, just like my father was at peace amidst a turbulent time.

I challenge you to keep this list on a wall in front of you so you can be reminded to think regularly on these things, especially when your thoughts want to wander to the negative and bring you down. Pray about these things and feel the peace of God wash over you.