What's In A Response?

I'm recognizing that we have much less control over our lives than we'd, often, like to think we do! I was impacted through another, this weekend, that though we don't always have control over our circumstances or our future, we do have control over our response! Lol. If power is what we seek, we can rejoice over having "power over our response to life"! I really want to choose to respond to what life throws my way with a godly perspective, a godly response! Lol. But it appears that I am my biggest stumbling block!

God's Word says:

"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!" Philippians 4:4
"
Pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5:17

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2

"I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness;
    I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High." Psalm 7:17

What's in a response?

I can see that my thought process, determines my response! (My thinking on a matter, matters! My thoughts, become my actions!) This is why I believe it's so important to align myself, daily, with the Lord and to abide in God's Word. I don't have it altogether and I need to, continually, hold up God's plumb line, His Word, to my life, to make sure my thoughts, my heart attitude and my actions are leading me down the path I want to take. If I want to walk in God's paths, this will be a daily need for me; I don't know about you, but I stray too easily! God's truths put in will dispel the lies, I might otherwise buy into. It judges the attitude of my heart and my thoughts and keeps me in alignment.

"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."
Hebrews 4:12

My ability to captivate my thoughts, to reframe a situation, to look at it from God's perspective make all the difference in my response! I can choose to focus on the problems and be overwhelmed, anxious and fearful or choose to focus on the Lord and find faith, peace and rest. My view of a situation, my response, is my choice, moment by moment, day to day! I can choose my focus, which controls the outcome of my day! In the midst of difficulties I can choose to recall, to focus on God's faithfulness, in the past; then I'm filled with gratitude, it strengthens my faith and brings joy into the present moment!

In the blog, "What's God Gonna Do, Bring It To The Door?" Jim chose this focus of gratitude and faith and had a wonderful day, all day, believing God was going to provide and he continued to rejoice as God provided! If I focus on the problems, I can become filled with anxiety and fear. I chose this focus in that same blog and was miserable all day! I'm finding a thankful heart is as much medicine for the soul is as a cheerful heart; a thankful heart is filled with joy because it's counting the blessings, not the problems! It brings praise to our lips! A problem focus only brings fear, worry and causes us to spiral down! A heart of gratitude, of faith, causes us to spiral up! We can choose to spiral up, as quickly as we spiral down! How? By captivating our thoughts, by choosing what we think about! If we pay attention to what we're thinking about, we can redirect the thoughts that aren't beneficial and in keeping with a God focus! We can choose a heart of thankfulness and praise!

"Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!
Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wondrous works!" Psalm 105:1-2

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!" Psalm 100:4 (It's as contagious as negative thinking is, but it can be a purposed choice! I want to choose this response more often!)

My focus is my choice! God's truths put in, are God's truths lived out! I'm purposely, programing my life for the outcome I desire, my desired response! I'm purposing to have a purpose! The problem isn't God or His truths, they are perfect! It's me, I have a choice as to whether I will choose, each and every moment of everyday to follow them, to allow them to direct my focus, my thoughts, my response and my actions! I am my constant struggle, I find it best to keep putting me, moment by moment, under His Lordship!

A life lived for God is not for the weak, though many look at it that way, believing God to be some kind of crutch. A life lived for God, according to His truths, takes determination, purpose and focus! The weakest can live a life without discipline, with the attitude of let come what may! But a life that chooses purpose and focus takes the determination of constant care! The use of a plumb line!

Just like a mason uses a plumb line, to continue to check that the wall is straight, it's squared up, so God's Word can be used, daily, to make the adjustments needed; to check up on our beliefs, our attitudes, our thought processes, our focus, our actions and our responses. Constant adjustments will be needed to stay on this chosen path! We're setting our goal, to live and impact for eternity and checking our progress!

I want my response to life, the day to day, to be a godly response; to see life from His perspective. I put His truths in, so I have His truths to be a good foundation to draw my thoughts, my actions and responses from! It's a day to day struggle, but it's a path well worth taking, it leads to eternity and it is my choice whether I'm going to walk in it! God may choose my steps, but I can choose my response!