1 00:00:03,040 --> 00:00:06,960 Speaker 1: This is the day which the Lord hath made. We 2 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm one, eighteen 3 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:19,640 Speaker 1: twenty four. Dear Heavenly Father, today I rise with gratitude. 4 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:26,040 Speaker 1: Your loving kindness, wisdom, and abundant grace have filled me 5 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 1: with the excitement to tackle each day with vigor and joy. 6 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:36,400 Speaker 1: I pray for your favor today and that you would 7 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:40,600 Speaker 1: guide every step I take. Your word says that you 8 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 1: have predestined good works for me to walk in. Show 9 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:49,240 Speaker 1: me those good works today and direct my steps as 10 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:54,040 Speaker 1: I pursue you. I love you and rely on your 11 00:00:54,200 --> 00:01:04,200 Speaker 1: guidance for everything I do. In Jesus's name, Amen, thank 12 00:01:04,240 --> 00:01:07,080 Speaker 1: you for joining me in prayer. Stay tuned for today's 13 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:11,360 Speaker 1: free podcast Meditative Prayers with Zach Clinton, where you can 14 00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:20,680 Speaker 1: draw close to God and find strength in him. 15 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:25,119 Speaker 2: Welcome to your meditative prayer on mourning gratitude. To get 16 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 2: the most out of your spiritual journey, use pray dot 17 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 2: com every day and make prayer a priority in your life. 18 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 2: Our goal for today's meditative prayer is morning gratitude, So 19 00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:39,840 Speaker 2: just take a second to relax. Look for a comfortable 20 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:43,319 Speaker 2: and quiet place, a place where your focus this morning 21 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 2: can be on this moment of reflection. Close your eyes 22 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:52,120 Speaker 2: and take a deep breath, and as you exhale, release 23 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 2: the thoughts shifting around in your head. We'll be meditating 24 00:01:56,920 --> 00:02:00,160 Speaker 2: on Psalm one eighteen, verse twenty four from the King 25 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:03,840 Speaker 2: James version. It says, this is the day which the 26 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:07,920 Speaker 2: Lord hath made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. 27 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:11,920 Speaker 2: Now take a moment to pour out your adoration to 28 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:16,160 Speaker 2: God for blessing you with this day. God, I praise 29 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 2: you for this day and its possibilities, for this opportunity. 30 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:24,320 Speaker 2: I praise you, the maker of this day and all 31 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 2: others to come. God, I worship you for giving me 32 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 2: the ability to be glad and to rejoice in this day. 33 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:35,560 Speaker 2: I praise you, the creator of the heavens and the 34 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 2: earth and everything in between. I know that you have 35 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:41,840 Speaker 2: created this day for me and given me a purpose 36 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:46,080 Speaker 2: within it. You see, each day is a new beginning. 37 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 2: Sometimes that is seen as an opportunity and sometimes as 38 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:57,200 Speaker 2: a burden. Your perspective will affect your outcome. Outcomes of 39 00:02:57,280 --> 00:03:01,600 Speaker 2: great joy and happiness are within you your grasp. That 40 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:05,160 Speaker 2: is not to say there are no difficult days. Some 41 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:10,359 Speaker 2: days will be stifling and stressful, filled with shortcomings and setbacks. 42 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:13,080 Speaker 2: But let us now reflect for a moment on the 43 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:18,200 Speaker 2: times your choices were less than optimistic. Think on those 44 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:23,640 Speaker 2: situations where hardship got the best of you, recent moments 45 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:27,280 Speaker 2: and circumstances in life that have been robbing you of 46 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:34,160 Speaker 2: your daily joy. Gather all those choices, decisions, and thoughts 47 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:38,640 Speaker 2: and place them in the hands of Jesus. Confess to 48 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 2: the Lord your feelings of apathy, sadness, and discouragement, and 49 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 2: let the Holy Spirit minister to the areas of your 50 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:54,400 Speaker 2: heart where joy does not rain. My friends, take a 51 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:58,280 Speaker 2: moment now to dwell on previous mornings filled with joy 52 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 2: and filled with gladness. Remember how it felt to allow 53 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 2: cheerfulness to prevail over sadness. How wonderful it was to 54 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 2: go about your day with a smile in your heart. 55 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:16,520 Speaker 2: Think how infectious happiness can be. Recollect past situations where 56 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:19,520 Speaker 2: you chose to start your day on a positive note. 57 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:22,839 Speaker 2: Thank God for the ability to feel gladness and to 58 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 2: rejoice and gifts. Thanks for the moments when happiness was 59 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 2: greater than hopelessness. Thank God for the blessings of past 60 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:36,479 Speaker 2: seasons of cheerfulness and contentment. And for those yet to come, 61 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:40,240 Speaker 2: and thank Him for the strength to choose joy and 62 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:45,159 Speaker 2: to keep choosing it day after day. Do not forget 63 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:49,560 Speaker 2: God is present and he is listening to you. He 64 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 2: desires for you to live a life filled with joy 65 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:56,200 Speaker 2: and gladness. Jesus wants to turn your sorrow into joy 66 00:04:56,680 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 2: and your mourning into dancing. So let them pray for 67 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:06,760 Speaker 2: joy overwhelming, a joy that renews each day. And ask 68 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 2: the Holy Spirit to teach you to find joy even 69 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:12,280 Speaker 2: in the midst of sorrow. Ask him to fill your 70 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:18,000 Speaker 2: heart with gladness beyond measure, because remember, God has called 71 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:20,480 Speaker 2: us to live a life filled with joy and gladness, 72 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 2: and even in the midst of hardship, happiness can be had. 73 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:30,160 Speaker 2: Do not be discouraged by past setbacks. You must remember 74 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:34,919 Speaker 2: there is always a choice, and there is power in choosing. 75 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 2: Your choice can and does affect your outcome. So choose 76 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:44,839 Speaker 2: joy for today and for every day to come. Choose 77 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 2: the joy of the Lord and watch as that joy 78 00:05:47,839 --> 00:05:53,080 Speaker 2: transforms your life. My friends, thank you for completing today's 79 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:57,320 Speaker 2: meditative prayer on pray dot com. By incorporating this healthy 80 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:01,720 Speaker 2: habit as a daily practice, you're making a prayer priority 81 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:06,280 Speaker 2: in strengthening your walk with God again. My name is 82 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:10,800 Speaker 2: Zac Clinton from the American Association of Christian Counselors and 83 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:18,719 Speaker 2: we love being a part of your life.