OUR DAILY BREAD : HABITS OF A HEALTHY MIND

[cimi]

February 5
Thursday


HABITS OF A
HEALTHY MIND

READ:
Psalm 37:1-8
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Trust in the LORD,
and do good.
__Psalm 37:3
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There is much said today about improving our health by developing habits of optimism, whether facing a difficult medical diagnosis or a pile of dirty laundry. Barbara fredrickson, PhD, a psychology professor at the University of North Carolina, says we should try activites that build joy, gratitude, love, and other positive feelings. We know, however, that more is required than a general wish for good feelings. We need a strong conviction that ther is a source of joy, peace, and love upon which we can depend.

psalm 37:1-8 gives positive actions we can take as an antidote to pessimism and discouragement. Consider these mood boosters: Trust in the Lord, do good, dwell in the land, feed on His faithfulness (v.3); delight in the Lord (v.4); commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him (v.5); rest in the Lord, wait patiently for him, do not fret (v.7); cease from anger, forsake wrath (v.8).

Because they are connected to the phrase "in the Lord," those directives are more than wishful thinking or unrealistic suggestions. It's because of Jesus, and in His strength, that they become possible.

Our one true source for optimism is the redemption that is in Jesus. He is our reason for hope! __David McCasland

```````````````````````Lord, we can't manufacture hope, and even if````````````````````
```````````````````````we tried it wouldn't be real. Help us to find````````````````````
```````````````````````hope in You because of what Jesus has done`````````````````````
```````````````````````for us. We know You are walking beside us.`````````````````````
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When there's bad news,
our hope is the good news of Jesus.

**********************Today's Bible Reading __ Psalm 37:1-8**********************
Do not fret because of
evildoers, nor be envious of
the workers of iniquity.

2 For they shall soon be cut
down like the grass, and
wither as the green herb.

3 Trust in the LORD, and do
good; dwell in the land, and
feed on His faithfulness.


4 delight yourself also in
the LORD, and he shall give
you the desires of your
heart.

5 Commit your way to the
LORD, trust also in Him,
and He shall bring it ot
pass. 6 He shall bring forth
your righteousness as the
light, and your justice as the
noonday.

7 Rest in the LORD, and
wait patiently for Him; do
not fret becasue of him who
prospers in his way,
becasue of the man who
brings wicked schemes to
pass. 8 cease from anger,
and forsake wrath; do not
fret__it only causes harm.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

psalm 37 is one of the many "wisdom psalms"__psalms that give
instructions on how to live wisely. In this psalm, David deals with
the perennial perplexity of the ijustice of life__the wicked go
unpunished while the righteous suffer. he tells the righteous not to
fret, be envious, or be angry, for God will ultimately bring justice
(vv.1-2,9-10,20,34-36,38). Instead, they are to be patient, to trust,
to delight, to rest fully in God, and to continue to the godly lives
(vv.3-8). For the "LORD upholds the righteous" (v.17), takes delight
in them (v.23), and will not forsake them (vv.28-29).