1 00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 1: This is the day which the Lord hath made. We 2 00:00:07,080 --> 00:00:12,760 Speaker 1: will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm one, eighteen 3 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:19,840 Speaker 1: twenty four. Dear Heavenly Father, today I rise with gratitude. 4 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:26,079 Speaker 1: Your loving kindness, wisdom, and abundant grace have filled me 5 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:31,920 Speaker 1: with the excitement to tackle each day with vigor and joy. 6 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:36,479 Speaker 1: I pray for your favor today and that you would 7 00:00:36,479 --> 00:00:40,680 Speaker 1: guide every step I take. Your word says that you 8 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:44,800 Speaker 1: have predestined good works for me to walk in. Show 9 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:49,280 Speaker 1: me those good works today and direct my steps as 10 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 1: I pursue you. I love you and rely on your 11 00:00:54,280 --> 00:01:04,280 Speaker 1: guidance for everything I do. In Jesus's name, Amen, thank 12 00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:07,120 Speaker 1: you for joining me in prayer. Stay tuned for today's 13 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:11,440 Speaker 1: free podcast, Meditative Prayers with Zach Clinton, where you can 14 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 1: draw close to God and find strength in him. 15 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:22,280 Speaker 2: Welcome to your meditative prayer on morning Gratitude. To get 16 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:24,760 Speaker 2: the most out of your spiritual journey, use pray dot 17 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:28,680 Speaker 2: com every day and make prayer a priority in your life. 18 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:33,319 Speaker 2: Our goal for today's meditative prayer is morning gratitude, So 19 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:37,039 Speaker 2: just take a second to relax. Look for a comfortable 20 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:40,479 Speaker 2: and quiet place, a place where your focus this morning 21 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 2: can be on this moment of reflection. Close your eyes 22 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 2: and take a deep breath, and as you exhale, release 23 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 2: the thoughts shifting around in your head. We'll be meditating 24 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:57,280 Speaker 2: on Psalm one eighteen, verse twenty four from the King 25 00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:01,000 Speaker 2: James version. It says, this is the day which the 26 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:05,080 Speaker 2: Lord hath made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. 27 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:09,080 Speaker 2: Now take a moment to pour out your adoration to 28 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 2: God for blessing you with this day. God, I praise 29 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 2: you for this day and its possibilities, for this opportunity. 30 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:21,480 Speaker 2: I praise you, the maker of this day and all 31 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 2: others to come. God, I worship you for giving me 32 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 2: the ability to be glad and to rejoice in this day. 33 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:32,720 Speaker 2: I praise you, the creator of the heavens and the 34 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 2: earth and everything in between. I know that you have 35 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 2: created this day for me and given me a purpose 36 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 2: within it. You see, each day is a new beginning. 37 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 2: Sometimes that is seen as an opportunity and sometimes as 38 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:54,360 Speaker 2: a burden. Your perspective will affect your outcome. Outcomes of 39 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 2: great joy and happiness are within your grasp. That is 40 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:02,920 Speaker 2: not to say there are no difficult days. Some days 41 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:07,519 Speaker 2: will be stifling and stressful. Filled with shortcomings and setbacks. 42 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:10,240 Speaker 2: But let us now reflect for a moment on the 43 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:15,399 Speaker 2: times your choices were less than optimistic. Think on those 44 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:20,840 Speaker 2: situations where hardship got the best of you, recent moments 45 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:24,440 Speaker 2: and circumstances in life that have been robbing you of 46 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:31,320 Speaker 2: your daily joy. Gather all those choices, decisions, and thoughts 47 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 2: and place them in the hands of Jesus. Confess to 48 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 2: the Lord your feelings of apathy, sadness, and discouragement, and 49 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 2: let the Holy Spirit minister to the areas of your 50 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 2: heart where joy does not rain. My friends, take a 51 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 2: moment now to dwell on previous mornings filled with joy 52 00:03:55,920 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 2: and filled with gladness. Remember how it felt to allow 53 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 2: cheerfulness to prevail over sadness. How wonderful it was to 54 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 2: go about your day with a smile in your heart. 55 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:13,680 Speaker 2: Think how infectious happiness can be. Recollect past situations where 56 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:16,760 Speaker 2: you chose to start your day on a positive note. 57 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:20,000 Speaker 2: Thank God for the ability to feel gladness and to 58 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:24,839 Speaker 2: rejoice and give thanks for the moments when happiness was 59 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:29,800 Speaker 2: greater than hopelessness. Thank God for the blessings of past 60 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:33,640 Speaker 2: seasons of cheerfulness and contentment, and for those yet to come, 61 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:37,400 Speaker 2: and thank Him for the strength to choose joy and 62 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:42,360 Speaker 2: to keep choosing it day after day. Do not forget 63 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:46,680 Speaker 2: God is present and he is listening to you. He 64 00:04:46,839 --> 00:04:49,240 Speaker 2: desires for you to live a life filled with joy 65 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:53,719 Speaker 2: and gladness. Jesus wants to turn your sorrow into joy 66 00:04:53,839 --> 00:04:59,039 Speaker 2: and your mourning into dancing. So let him pray for 67 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:03,920 Speaker 2: joy overwhelming, a joy that renews each day. And ask 68 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:06,479 Speaker 2: the Holy Spirit to teach you to find joy even 69 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 2: in the midst of sorrow. Ask him to fill your 70 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:15,160 Speaker 2: heart with gladness beyond measure, because remember, God has called 71 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:17,640 Speaker 2: us to live a life filled with joy and gladness, 72 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 2: and even in the midst of hardship, happiness can be had. 73 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:27,360 Speaker 2: Do not be discouraged by past setbacks. You must remember 74 00:05:27,880 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 2: there is always a choice, and there is power in choosing. 75 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:37,839 Speaker 2: Your choice can and does affect your outcome. So choose 76 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:42,000 Speaker 2: joy for today and for every day to come. Choose 77 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 2: the joy of the Lord and watches that joy transforms 78 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 2: your life. My friends, thank you for completing today's meditative 79 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 2: prayer on pray dot com. By incorporating this healthy habit 80 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:59,479 Speaker 2: as a daily practice, you're making a prayer priority and 81 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:03,680 Speaker 2: strength your walk with God again. My name is Zac 82 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:08,240 Speaker 2: Clinton from the American Association of Christian Counselors and we 83 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:11,719 Speaker 2: love being a part of your life.