Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is for one to eat and drink, and to find enjoyment in all the labor in which he labors under the sun all the days which God gives him—for this is his [allotted] part. —Ecclesiastes 5:18

If we do the same thing over and over, sooner or later we’re going to get bored. We don’t have to wait for something nice to happen to us, we can be aggressive and do something nice for ourselves. For many of you, I know this is a new thought that may seem foreign and even unspiritual. But I can assure you that it is part of God’s plan. You can create variety, and it will keep your life more exciting.

I sat with my computer on my lap for about four hours this morning and then stopped for a while to do some other things I needed to do. When I went back to my writing, I decided to sit in a different part of the house just for variety. I chose a place that had plenty of light where I could look out the window. Simple little things like this cost nothing, but they are very valuable.

No day needs to be ordinary if we realize the gift God is giving us when He gives us another day to live and enjoy. An extraordinary attitude can quickly turn an ordinary day into an amazing adventure. Jesus said He came so that we might have and enjoy life (see John 10:10). If we refuse to enjoy it, then it’s no one’s fault but our own.

I would like to suggest that you take responsibility for your joy and never again give anyone else the job of keeping you happy. Add a little variety to your life—break up your routine, do something different, and so on. When you do, expect God to meet you and help make your ordinary . . . extraordinary!

Trust in Him What are two specific things you’re going to do differently today? Add some variety to your ordinary, daily routine, and trust that God is going to bless it.

We are weak, but you are [so very] strong! —1 Corinthians 4:10

We need help—and a lot of it. Jeremiah 10:23 says, …the way of a man is not in himself; it is not in man [even in a strong man or in a man at his best] to direct his [own] steps. It really is impossible for man to properly run his own life. Admitting that fact is not a sign of weakness, it is a sign of spiritual maturity. You are weak unless you find your strength in God, and the sooner you face that fact, the better.

Many people have position, wealth, and power, but they may not have what really matters—good relationships, right standing with God, peace, joy, contentment, satisfaction, good health, and the ability to enjoy life. Not everything that appears well is well! You may be trying hard to make things work out right and always failing. Your problem is not that you are a failure. Your problem is simply that you have not gone to the right source for help.

And whoever will not receive and accept and welcome you nor listen to your message, as you leave that house or town, shake the dust [of it] from your feet. —Matthew 10:14

I often share a teaching that I call “Shake It Off,” which is based on the time Paul was on the island of Malta (see Acts 28). He was helping some people build a fire, when a poisonous serpent crawled out and attached itself to his hand. At first, when the people saw it they thought he must be wicked to have such an evil thing happen to him. They watched, waiting for him to fall over dead.

But the Bible says Paul simply “shook it off.” We can learn so much from that. When somebody offends or rejects us, we need to see it as a bite from Satan, and just shake it off.

In another instance in the Bible, Jesus told the disciples that if they entered towns that didn’t receive them, they should just go to the next town. He told them to shake the dust off of their feet and move on. He didn’t want the disciples to dwell on the rejection they had experienced; He wanted them to stay focused on sharing their testimony of His works in their lives. Likewise, as we follow the Spirit, we can shake off offenses and hold on to our peace. When others see that we are able to remain calm even when “the serpent” bites us, they will want to know where that peace is coming from in our lives.

When we are in a state of being upset, we cannot hear from God clearly. The Bible promises us that God will lead us and walk us out of our troubles, but we cannot be led by the Spirit if we are offended and in turmoil. We can’t get away from the storms of life, or the temptation to be irritated by someone; but we can respond to offenses by saying, “God, You are merciful, and You are good. And I am going to put my confidence in You until this storm passes over.”

Trust in Him Has someone offended or rejected you and you need to “shake it off “? Trust God to give you the grace to act godly even in an ungodly situation, and to help you shake it off in order to be a witness to others.

For this commandment which I command you this day is not too difficult for you, nor is it far off. —Deuteronomy 30:11

“This is too hard” is one of the excuses we hear most frequently. But we are equipped by God’s Spirit to handle hard things. We are anointed to press through and see victory. The next time you are tempted to say something is too hard, look at Deuteronomy 30:11, which says, “It is not too difficult!”

Anything God leads you to do, you can do. God never leads you to do something unless He gives you the power and the ability to do it. Prepare yourself for right action with power thoughts. Think, I don’t know how I’m going to do it, I don’t feel like I can do it, but God is leading me to do it. And I believe if He is leading me to do it, then I can. Because I believe I can do whatever I need to do through the power of God that resides in me.

Power Thought: Nothing God asks of me is too difficult.

Joyce Meyer – We Need a Guide

For this God is our God forever and ever; He will be our guide [even] until death. —Psalm 48:14

It thrills me to know that God is our guide through every day of our lives. How wonderful to know that we have Someone to guide us and ensure that we get from one destination in life to the next.

Sometimes when Dave and I travel, we hire a guide to show us the best and most important sites to see. One time, we decided we would explore a certain place by ourselves; that way, we reasoned, we could do what we wanted to do when we wanted to do it. However, we quickly found that our independent trip was nearly wasted. We often spent large portions of each day getting lost and then trying to find our way again. We have learned from our mistakes and we now know the best use of our time is to follow a guide rather than wandering aimlessly to find places ourselves.

I believe this example from our travels relates to how most people are in life. We want to chart our own courses, be our own guides, and do what we want to do at our convenience. But we typically lose our way and end up wasting our time. God has promised in today’s verse to guide us through our lives. He does this through the Holy Spirit, who will speak to us and tell us where to go and what to do if we will simply ask Him to lead us.

God’s word for you today: Logos + rhema = wisdom.

I will bless you [with abundant increase of favors] . . . and you will be a blessing [dispensing good to others]. —Genesis 12:2

Nothing frustrates me more than people who don’t know how to accept gifts. It’s a joy to express my love or appreciation to someone by giving them a gift I know they’ll like. But if the response is, “No, no, I can’t accept that,” or “Really, you shouldn’t have,” or “No, take it back,” then that drains all the joy out of it. It becomes downright embarrassing if you have to force a gift on someone. You may even wonder if you should have offered the gift at all.

Receiving a gift graciously stems from inner security. Those who are uncomfortable getting gifts usually have some deep-seated insecurity that prevents them from accepting others’ kindness. They feel so low that they can’t imagine they deserve anything. Or they worry that the gift burdens them with reciprocation. They would rather reject the gesture than have to engage in a relationship.

In my life and work, I have opportunities to give many gifts, and I also get some. When I do, I genuinely appreciate it and tell people so. Be a giver and expect God to bless you through others. When they do, say thank you and graciously receive their offers.

The greatest gift that can be given is offered to each of us every day, yet few of us have the faith and self-esteem to accept it. God offers us His love. All we have to do is open our hearts and make the decision to receive it. Then we in turn get to pass it on to others.

Receiving God’s love is an important step because we can’t love others without it. We cannot give away what we do not have.