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 --> 00:01:07,039 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 --> 00:01:17,520 Speaker 1: draw close to God and find strength in him. 15 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:20,560 Speaker 2: Click the link of the description to grow closer to God. 16 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:24,679 Speaker 2: There you'll find daily prayers, Bible plans, sleep stories, and 17 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 2: so much more all on the pray dot Com app. 18 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:29,920 Speaker 2: Click the link of the description to get started. 19 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:37,759 Speaker 3: Welcome to your meditative prayer on morning Gratitude. To get 20 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 3: the most out of your spiritual journey, use pray dot 21 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:44,080 Speaker 3: com every day and make prayer a priority in your life. 22 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:48,800 Speaker 3: Our goal for today's meditative prayer is morning gratitude. So 23 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 3: just take a second to relax. Look for a comfortable 24 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 3: and quiet place, a place where your focus this morning 25 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 3: can be. On this moment of reflection, close your eyes 26 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 3: and take a deep breath, and as you exhale, release 27 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:09,520 Speaker 3: the thoughts shifting around in your head. We'll be meditating 28 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:12,760 Speaker 3: on Psalm one eighteen, verse twenty four from the King 29 00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 3: James version. It says, this is the day which the 30 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 3: Lord hath made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. 31 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 3: Now take a moment to pour out your adoration to 32 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 3: God for blessing you with this day. God, I praise 33 00:02:28,880 --> 00:02:32,799 Speaker 3: you for this day and its possibilities, for this opportunity. 34 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 3: I praise you, the maker of this day and all 35 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 3: others to come. God, I worship you for giving me 36 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:44,200 Speaker 3: the ability to be glad and to rejoice in this day. 37 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:48,200 Speaker 3: I praise you, the creator of the heavens and the 38 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:51,240 Speaker 3: earth and everything in between. I know that you have 39 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 3: created this day for me and given me a purpose 40 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:58,760 Speaker 3: within it. You see, each day is a new beginning 41 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 3: times that is seen as an opportunity and sometimes as 42 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 3: a burden. Your perspective will affect your outcome. Outcomes of 43 00:03:09,919 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 3: great joy and happiness are within your grasp. That is 44 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:18,400 Speaker 3: not to say there are no difficult days. Some days 45 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 3: will be stifling and stressful, filled with shortcomings and setbacks. 46 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 3: But let us now reflect for a moment on the 47 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:30,880 Speaker 3: times your choices were less than optimistic. Think on those 48 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 3: situations where hardship got the best of you, recent moments 49 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:39,920 Speaker 3: and circumstances in life that have been robbing you of 50 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:46,800 Speaker 3: your daily joy. Gather all those choices, decisions, and thoughts 51 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:51,280 Speaker 3: and place them in the hands of Jesus. Confess to 52 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:58,280 Speaker 3: the Lord your feelings of apathy, sadness, and discouragement, and 53 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:01,200 Speaker 3: let the Holy Spirit menace to the areas of your 54 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:07,040 Speaker 3: heart where joy does not rain. My friends, take a 55 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:10,920 Speaker 3: moment now to dwell on previous mornings filled with joy 56 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 3: and filled with gladness. Remember how it felt to allow 57 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 3: cheerfulness to prevail over sadness. How wonderful it was to 58 00:04:19,920 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 3: go about your day with a smile in your heart. 59 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:29,159 Speaker 3: Think how infectious happiness can be. Recollect past situations where 60 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:32,040 Speaker 3: you chose to start your day on a positive note. 61 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:35,479 Speaker 3: Thank God for the ability to feel gladness and to 62 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:40,320 Speaker 3: rejoice and give thanks for the moments when happiness was 63 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:45,279 Speaker 3: greater than hopelessness. Thank God for the blessings of past 64 00:04:45,279 --> 00:04:49,119 Speaker 3: seasons of cheerfulness and contentment, and for those yet to come. 65 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 3: And thank Him for the strength to choose joy and 66 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:57,799 Speaker 3: to keep choosing it day after day. Do not forget 67 00:04:58,279 --> 00:05:02,920 Speaker 3: God is present, He is listening to you. He desires 68 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:05,520 Speaker 3: for you to live a life filled with joy and gladness. 69 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 3: Jesus wants to turn your sorrow into joy and your 70 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:15,640 Speaker 3: mourning into dancing. So let them pray for joy overwhelming, 71 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:19,920 Speaker 3: a joy that renews each day. And ask the Holy 72 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 3: Spirit to teach you to find joy even in the 73 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:25,320 Speaker 3: midst of sorrow. Ask him to fill your heart with 74 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:31,039 Speaker 3: gladness beyond measure, because remember, God has called us to 75 00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:34,120 Speaker 3: live a life filled with joy and gladness, and even 76 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:38,520 Speaker 3: in the midst of hardship, happiness can be had. Do 77 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:43,520 Speaker 3: not be discouraged by past setbacks. You must remember there 78 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 3: is always a choice, and there is power in choosing. 79 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:53,320 Speaker 3: Your choice can and does affect your outcome. So choose 80 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:57,480 Speaker 3: joy for today and for every day to come. Choose 81 00:05:57,560 --> 00:06:00,360 Speaker 3: the joy of the Lord and watch as that joy 82 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:05,719 Speaker 3: transforms your life. My friends, thank you for completing today's 83 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 3: meditative prayer on pray dot com. By incorporating this healthy 84 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:14,360 Speaker 3: habit as a daily practice, you're making a prayer priority 85 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:18,920 Speaker 3: in strengthening your walk with God Again. My name is 86 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:23,480 Speaker 3: Zach Clinton from the American Association of Christian Counselors, and 87 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:41,240 Speaker 3: we love being a part of your life. 88 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:43,840 Speaker 2: If today's reading moved you, the pray dot Com app 89 00:06:43,880 --> 00:06:47,239 Speaker 2: is where you can go deeper with daily prayers, Bible plans, 90 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:50,480 Speaker 2: and more. Download it free link in the description.