New Eyes by David Jeremiah

Tuesday, January 3

New Eyes 

The heart knows its own bitterness, and a stranger does not share its joy. 
Proverbs 14:10 

Recommended Reading Philippians 4:1-9

Your close friends know what makes you laugh and what makes you cry. They have seen your face break into a smile with laughter bubbling forth. They have seen your face heavy with sadness, and perhaps even seen your tears. Just as each person is unique, each person’s story is one-of-a-kind as well. There are the parts of our stories we love and then there are the parts of our stories we wish we could delete: “I don’t want this!

Like a close friend delights in listening to your unedited self and making you smile, God delights in being with you, loving you, and giving you good gifts. However, His gifts can be missed in our bustling busyness. Our tendency to compare and focus on our lack instead of our bounty does not help either. The practice of gratitude shifts our soul’s attention to the gifts we have been given. Gratitude does not fix problems or negate life’s difficulties, but it does open our eyes to blessings. This is why gratitude journaling remains popular. Try it! The very act of pausing, reflecting, and giving our gratitude space—both in your mind and on paper—will change your perspective and the landscape of your soul.

God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.
Augustine