Matthew 4:24 – “Consider carefully what you hear, ” he continued. “With the measure that you use, it will be measured to you and even more.
Reflecting back on the week and what we have covered thus far, we know that The Lord has instructed us to find joy in our challenges (James 1:2). We talked about 2 ways that we can do that. First, to take the focus off of our situation and on to others by serving them in some way. By blessing others as such, we are blessed in return. This brings joy to us all. Secondly, to ask The Lord to show us opportunities to be joy filled in the midst of our challenges, followed by seeking joy within them. As we to do that, we will begin to see more opportunities for joy be revealed to us.
Today, I want to talk to you about the third way we can find joy in our challenges and that is by guarding the things that we listen to. I don’t know about you, but when I am in the middle of a challenge, all sorts of thoughts began running through my head. And, they are generally the worse case scenario. Does anyone else besides myself do this? Can I get an amen this Thursday morning, please? Guys, if we are not careful, we will begin to believe the lies that our minds are telling us. Talk about steal your joy.
Shortly after our daughter Morgan’s initial diagnosis in 2009- https://thefaithfilledtraveler.com/morgans-story/ , I began to really watch what I would listen to. From the music in the car to the television in the living room to the people I surrounded myself with, I wouldn’t allow anything in that was not encouraging to me. There were so many reasons for me to be discouraged that I could not control, that I refused to allow anymore in that I could control.
Christian music and uplifting podcast started out being something that I occasionally listened to so that I could drown out the negative thoughts, to now something that I do every day. In fact, you can walk into our home at any given time and hear the soft music playing. Or, catch me in the car listening to a faith filled podcast. This is something that Morgan practices, also. As a matter of fact, she does it even when she is inpatient. I truly believe that this is one of the many reasons that she and I, both have been able to find joy in her journey.
With that, I will end the blog week there. I really hope the past 4 days has been helpful for you guys. If so, please reach out to me by leaving a comment or sending me an email, and share this page with your friends & family. I’ll see you here on Monday and on Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/thefaithfilledtraveler/ until then. Have a great weekend!
Warmest regards,
Salina Watson
The Faith Filled Traveler 