Seeing the Sunny Spots

When pain or disappointment,
Discouragement or grief
Creep in to block the sunshine
And mercy’s sweet relief,
I find I need a weapon
Resilient, quick, and strong
To fight them back and conquer
The thoughts that lead me wrong.

The weapons most effective
Against these tricky foes
Are thankfulness and praises,
And this is how it goes:
As soon as I feel anxious
Or sorry for myself,
I start to thank God quickly
For blessings and Himself.

“Lord, thank You for Your presence,
For such a lovely place,
For those who truly love me,
For saving me by grace.
And thank You for this moment
To stop and really see
The blessings You have given
So graciously to me.”

I start to thank and praise Him
For all that comes to mind,
And through it I’m reminded
How good He is and kind.
It shifts my mental focus
From storms and self to God;
It brings back heaven’s sunshine
And shows that doubt’s a fraud.

I sometimes have to do it
A dozen times a day,
But then I gain some traction
And find that as I pray
The Lord rolls back the storm clouds
Of selfish, downcast thoughts
And helps me see His blessings
In all the sunny spots.

Christina Joy Hommes

“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” 2 Corinthians 10:5

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” Colossians 3:15