Last week I arrived in the school playground a little earlier than usual and got chatting to a guy we know. He spent the next ten minutes (although it seemed like 20) telling me how hard he works and how rubbish his life is. Nothing I said made any difference to his mood.
When the children came out of the school doors I couldn’t get away fast enough! He totally drained me and I felt exhausted. The thing is, he seemed determined to look at the negative, difficult things about his life and refused to see beyond them.

I don’t know what is going on in your world today. I don’t know whether you are about to go into hospital for an operation, or whether you are mourning the loss of a child, or struggling because you are being made redundant. I don’t know how you feel. Perhaps you are being forced to sell your house and move because of circumstances changing for you. Maybe you are contemplating a new life. Perhaps you are living with a new loss. I don’t know. But I do know this: There is something you can do today to change how you feel and change, not necessarily your circumstances, but your attitude to them.

Read with me this amazing Psalm from the Bible (The Message version)

Psalm 100

1-2 On your feet now””applaud God! Bring a gift of laughter,
sing yourselves into his presence.

3 Know this: God is God, and God, God.
He made us; we didn’t make him.
We’re his people, his well-tended sheep.

4 Enter with the password: “Thank you!”
Make yourselves at home, talking praise.
Thank him. Worship him.

5 For God is sheer beauty,
all-generous in love,
loyal always and ever.

Join me today in standing up to applaud our God. He is infinitely intricate in His plans for you. He knows who you are, what you do, and what you need. He is able to provide ALL things to work together for your good. So bring Him a gift today. Not your money. Not your time. Not your energy. Bring Him your laughter! Show Him that you know He is in control. Smile with Him. Enjoy Him and sing yourself into His presence. Use the password ‘THANK YOU!’

The older version of this Psalm declares in verse 2 “Serve the Lord with gladness.” There is no higher calling than to serve.
Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, once said, ‘I used to ask God to help me. Then I asked if I might help Him. Finally I ended up asking Him to do His work through me.’

What a prayer!
God, do Your amazing work through me! Amen