Smile. Your Face Won’t Crack
Do you smile?
Have you noticed?
Life has definitely stepped up its pace! Especially if you have kids in school. But, oddly, even if you don’t. Every year, after the lazy days of summer, the beginning of a new school year changes everything, Schedules have changed drastically. We settle down into a new routine. More disciplined. More stressful. Meals, sleep, free time, car time, family time, and devotions. Everything!
Related Post: Multi-Tasking In Your Head
How do we get a handle on all this and allow the Lord’s peace to take over and rule our lives? Actually, I want to share with you one of the easiest and most life-altering tiny changes you can make that will rock your entire world for the better. TRULY!!! But…you have to CHOOSE to be FAITHFUL in it. It’s a secret that I’m sharing with you. So handle it with care. 😉
You actually have TWO choices
Frown
You can be cranky, put out, inconvenienced, ungrateful, short-tempered, unyielding, and grumpy and wishing for things/people to change.
OR
Smile
You can be grateful, attentive, encouraging, understanding, cheerful, and actually count your blessings, trusting God for outcomes.
With all that life throws at you, there is ALWAYS that CHOICE how you will react to each “opportunity”.
“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too difficult for Me?” Jeremiah 32:27
A personal interaction with God
One day, when I was reading that verse (above). I was feeling sad and angry. I cried out to God. And I told Him: “Father, things are awful and frustrating. WHY is there no change? I KNOW that verse says that nothing is too difficult for You! and I believe it, but…”
I cried and cried. Then, I had this thought…
”Father, I KNOW that nothing is too difficult for You. So, What do “I” need to do to put myself in the path of Your blessing?”
I remember thinking: “WHERE did THAT thought come from?” LOL…we both know where it came from…😉
So, God and I had a conversation.
He reminded me that I always have a CHOICE. And He told me that I need to choose CONTENTMENT.
WOW! Friends, that has been a life-changer for me! In the midst of pain, grief, confusion, or WHATEVER…we can actually CHOOSE contentment. This is wisdom, because God always has our best interest at heart. And absolutely nothing is too difficult for Him. In His time. In His way. Until then, I choose contentment because my “Dad” is at work. He will NOT let me down. So, knowing that, I can turn my smile upside down. And…I can smile!
The example of toddlers
In one of my recent posts, I wrote about our being like a toddler—learning to walk—we get up, fall down, get up, fall down. That is the nature of life. But we can choose how we will react to the falling down times when it feels like all the world is against us and we are so weary we can’t go on. Toddlers often smile and giggle when they are learning to walk and fall down over and over. They smile, laugh and giggle. Let’s follow their example.
The choice is ours
We can choose to continue being miserable—or—We can CHOOSE to TRUST that our FATHER will not let us down. We can remember that this world is not our home. That we are merely passing through and that there is something better awaiting us when our work here is done.
And that thought, my friends is exactly why we can smile in the midst of it all. And In spite of it all. We can choose the higher ground. And we can lift our face toward Heaven and smile and thank the One that loved us enough to suffer and die so we can spend our eternity future with Him forever, where smiling will be no effort at all. It will be our natural response.
Choose to Smile
So, for now—today—CHOOSE to smile. Because, I promise you—your face won’t crack and a smile actually has an added benefit.
It is the world’s cheapest “facelift”. It is FREE! So, what have you got to lose except a few wrinkles! 😉
Perhaps today
Dear friend, we know that Jesus can come back at any moment. So, let us stay ready so we don’t have to get ready.
Let Him “catch” you smiling!
Until next time…
KLU GIB
Get the Book!
Experiencing God’s Love from A-Z
Pamela Taylor invites you to join her in this interactive acrostic devotional designed to draw you into the extremely personal and abundant love God has waiting for you.
