Morning by Morning

(Note: The hi-lited passages provide links to Scriptures referenced)

I grew up in a Christian home with two dedicated Christian parents and four wonderful, Christian grandparents. One of the many things I’m thankful for in my upbringing is the fact that I grew up hearing so many awesome hymns that continue to play in my head each day.
In Ephesians 5:19-20, Paul writes: "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Sometimes, when I cannot think of any prayers to pray, Scriptures to meditate on, etc., God will mercifully play one of these beautiful hymns from my childhood in my head and I can remember His faithfulness and His Truth and I can sing these songs to Him and to myself.
One of the hymns that God has given to me over and over and over again since the beginning of my divorce is "Great Is Thy Faithfulness." The chorus to this beautiful hymn says of the Lord:
"Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!... Morning by morning new mercies I see;...All I have needed Thy hand hath provided...Great is Thy Faithfulness, Lord unto me."

Lamentations 3:19-26 (amplified) says:
"[O Lord] remember [earnestly] my affliction and my misery...
But this I recall and therefore have I hope and expectation:
It is because of the Lord's mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not.
They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness.
The Lord is my portion or share, says my living being (my inner self); therefore will I hope in Him and wait expectantly for Him."

Whenever we feel crushed, anxious, depressed, drained...we can look to Him and remember His mercies which are new every day. You can "think about such things...and the God of peace will be with you" (Phil 4:7-9).

Pray that God will help you think of everything He has done in your life that shows you His love for you and His mercy for you and for your situation. Although I could find so many things to be bitter and angry about if I want to go in that direction, I can also find so many more things to be thankful and in awe of if I choose to go in this other, life-giving direction. Start a list for yourself and add to it frequently. On one of your "hard days", you can go back through your list, saying out loud all that you are thankful for.
No matter how horrible your circumstances seem, or are, there is SOMETHING to be thankful for. When you start naming these things and develop a thankful spirit in yourself, you will begin to notice more and more mercies everywhere and you will start to see that YOU ARE BLESSED, and not crushed (2 Corinthians 4). Take a moment, 1-2 seconds, each time you notice one of these mercies to thank your Father who gave them to you.
It can be as simple as when you are driving and the person in front of you slams on their brakes and you miss rear-ending them by 2 inches, just saying "Thank you God that I did not have a wreck!" or when you are at the store, buying your groceries and waiting to pay, saying in your head "Thank you God for providing the money for these groceries." When you get up in the morning and get out of bed, you can say "Thank you God for giving me another day to accomplish all that you have for me." You can find mercies everywhere!
If you are reading this blog, then you must have a computer, whether your own or at a friend's house or at the library, to read it on. There is a "mercy" right there.
If the Scriptures on this blog speak to you and feed you, then this is a "mercy" as those people who don't have the Spirit cannot understand His Words or His love like you can.
If you have a roof over your head, healthy children, loving family, food to eat tonight, the ability to earn income, a church home, a car to drive, clean clothes to wear each day, friends to encourage you - if you have ANY of these things, these are ALL "mercies"!
If you were in a home of darkness, violence, abuse, addiction, oppression, etc., and now you have been delivered to re-establish your own Spirit-filled home - this, however hard it is right now - IS a "mercy".
There are moments from your childhood, your educational background, your Spiritual background, whether good or bad, "teachable" moments that God has used and will use in you to prepare you for what you will face as a single mother - these are all signs of His "mercies" as well. You can thank Him that you know Him and His love for you, and that, as the Lord of resurrection, He can turn all things into good and bring life from death, for His glory.
1 Thess 5:16-18 (amplified) says:
Be happy [in your faith] and rejoice and be glad-hearted continually (always); Be unceasing in prayer [praying perseveringly]; Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will]."
One way that we can be "unceasing in prayer" is by doing what was mentioned above- continually giving Him thanks for ALL of His mercies He gives to you as His gifts to you each day: "Thank you God for my home; Thank you God for the woman who just helped me at the store; Thank you God for the lunch you provided today; Thank you God for that parking space at the front door of Wal-Mart; Thank you God for your healing of my children's colds, flu, etc.; Thank you God for the Scripture I just heard on the radio; Thank you God for my friend who just prayed for me..."
These may seem overly simplistic, but the more you begin to pray over the simple things, God will begin to show you the bigger and bigger picture and you will be in absolute awe of everything that you have to be thankful for.
If these prayers seem overly simplistic, think on these verses:
“This is the day that the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). David doesn't tell us to rejoice in this day because it is "the best day ever" or because "I got everything I ever wanted today" or because "all my prayers were answered today." No, he says rejoice in this day simply because it is the day that the Lord has made.
Psalm 107:8 , says: "...Give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men." This one phrase is repeated four times in this psalm. He doesn't say to give thanks if the Lord does what you want Him to do, but simply because His unfailing love is a Spiritual fact, an unchanging Truth. Also, your thankfulness is not based on His wonderful deeds for you alone, but His deeds for all of mankind (the beautiful world He has given us, the knowledge He has given man, the mercy He shows each of us by giving life each day, etc.)
1 Chronicles 16:34 (amplified): "O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever!"
Psalm 100:3-5 :
"Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his ;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations."

Phil 4:4-7 (amplified) :
Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice!....
Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.
And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

Lord, forgive me that I have focused on a human-centered view of my circumstances and not on You and Your love and mercy, which is renewed each day. Lord, I trust in You that You LOVE me and I am precious to You. I trust You that you long to give me good gifts (Matt 7:11). Lord, open my eyes to see the many gifts you have given me, signs of your faithfulness and your love. Lord, please awaken me each morning reminding me of your faithfulness and love. Thank you Lord for all of your gifts and mercies. Please transform my heart into a heart of thankfulness and praise, seeing your love everywhere I go and giving thanks for it. I love you Lord. Amen.