Victory Is Yours: Overcome Life’s Challenges God's WaySample

Day 1: A Good Outlook

My wife and I have five kids ranging in age from preschool to high school, and on some mornings in our household, one or more of our children will wake up grumpy from the get-go. In those times, I have to remind them, “This is the day the Lord has made” (Psalm 118:24 NLT).

When you opened your eyes this morning, what was your outlook? Make no mistake, controlling your outlook is a sure way to make victory yours in both the everyday and in life’s battles.

Lamentations 3:23 reminds us of how frequently God renews His mercies toward us: Every. Single. Morning. He makes them fresh each day. And He doesn’t just dole them out one at a time. The plural nouns back this up: His “acts” of mercy are endless; His “compassions” never cease. The question we each have to answer is, Am I living as if all of that applies to me right now, in the situation I’m feeling overwhelmed by? Just as importantly, Am I actively looking for His multiplied mercies?

I know from my own life that if my countenance is down in the morning, it doesn’t take much for my day to go down too. By the time we’re at work or have dropped off the kids at school, we’re complaining about every little thing. By lunchtime, we’re sure the whole world is against us. By dinnertime, we’re convinced that life won’t ever go our way. And by bedtime, we’re telling ourselves that even God isn’t in our corner.

Let’s stay out of that downward spiral and instead pray along with the psalmist for a fresh outlook: “Examine me, Lord... Refine my mind and my heart. For Your goodness is before my eyes” (Psalm 26:2-3).

Think About It: Keep a running list of God’s goodness in your life so you can easily see all you may be overlooking in bad times.