Philippians 4:⁴ Always be filled with joy in the Lord. I will say it again. Be filled with joy.

⁵ Let everyone see that you are gentle and kind. The Lord is coming soon. ⁶ Don’t worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks for what you have. ⁷ And because you belong to Christ Jesus, God’s peace will stand guard over all your thoughts and feelings. His peace can do this far better than our human minds.” ESV

The secret to having good days is to start the day right. A great place to do that is Philippians 4.

1 Rejoice, be filled with joy. If you have eternal life, why does anything on earth really matter. The worst case scenario might be the health or death of loved ones, but when we all get to heaven, sickness and death here on earth will seem like a minor illness that you had 30 years ago.

2 Be kind and gentle. Try a little kindness. Instead of focusing on my problems, my work to be done, my stuff, let your mind think of ways you can show little acts of kindness to others today. It will bring joy to you and it will get your mind off your stressors.

That Glen Campbell song Try A Little Kindness is great:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvswocNN-g8

 If you see your brother standing by the road
With a heavy load from the seeds he sowed
And if you see your sister falling by the way
Just stop and say, “You’re going the wrong way”

… You’ve got to try a little kindness
Yes, show a little kindness
Just shine your light for everyone to see
And if you try a little kindness
Then you’ll overlook the blindness
Of narrow-minded people on the narrow-minded streets

… Don’t walk around the down and out
Lend a helping hand instead of doubt
And the kindness that you show every day
Will help someone along their way

 3. Don’t worry. 1 Peter 5:⁷ Give all your worries to him, because he cares for you.” ERV It’s nice to be able to write down on a piece of paper the things that you are concerned or worried about (there is a fine lline between the two) and then just hand that paper over to someone whom you trust, who has the capabiltiy and resources to take care of everything you put on that paper, and to just tell that person “Take care of these things for me, please”, and then relax and trust the person to take care of it all. It frees you to do other good stuff.
Luke 10: “Martha, Martha, you are getting worried and upset about too many things. ⁴² Only one thing is important. Mary has made the right choice, and it will never be taken away from her.” ERV

4. Pray. Have A Little Talk With Jesus. That song goes back to 1937, first sung by The Stamps Quartet.

I may have doubts and fears
My eyes be filled with tears
But Jesus is a friend who watches day and night
I go to him in prayer
He knows my every care
And just a little talk with Jesus makes it right

Now let us have a little talk with Jesus
Let us tell Him all about our troubles
He will hear our faintest cry
And He will answer by and by

And when you feel a little prayer wheel turnin’
And you will know a little fire is burnin’
You will find a little talk with Jesus makes it right

5. Be thankful. 1 Thessalonians 5:¹⁶ Always be full of joy. ¹⁷ Never stop praying. ¹⁸ Whatever happens, always be thankful. This is how God wants you to live in Christ Jesus.” ERV I pray with the ACTS model: Adoration (praise), Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplecation (for others or requests). Sometimes I start with the T instead of the A. Often if we just start with thanking our Father for all the good things he has given us, it minimizes the bad things that we might be concerned about.

The song Count Your Many Blessings is always a great one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v18f_y2wA8

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your blessings, see what God hath done;
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
    And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold.
Count your many blessings, money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your Lord on high.

So amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

6. Tell God your requests, what you need, what you want. That’s the S (supplecation) in the ACTS model. Philippians 4:6, which says “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” NASV The word “supplication” comes from the Latin “supplicare” which means “to plead humbly.” The Greek word for supplicaation is deésis: Derived from δέομαι (deomai), meaning “to beg” or “to ask. “From biblebasedliving.com “Supplication is an essential aspect of prayer as it involves making specific requests to God. It goes beyond general prayers of praise or thanksgiving and allows believers to bring their specific needs before the Lord. When we engage in supplication, we humbly acknowledge our dependence on God and His ability to meet our needs. It is an act of surrendering our desires to His will and seeking His guidance in all matters.” Ephesians 6:¹⁸ praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.”
Make your requests known to him (He already knows what you are thinking or wanting or needing, but He wants to hear you ask, showing your dependence and trust in Him. Then, leave the answered prayers up to God. “Thy will be done”. Whatever you think is best, Father, I’m ok with that.

7. Find the peace of God. Let the peace of God “guard” against all negative emotions and feelings. The Greek for guard is phroureó: To guard, protect, keep watch over. “The term “phroureó” would have been familiar to early Christians as it was used in both military and civilian contexts to describe the act of keeping watch or protecting something valuable.” 2 Corinthians 11:³² At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to seize me, ³³ but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.” A military or civilian guard keeps anyone or anything out that would endanger the thing or person that he/she is guarding. The peace of God will keep out fear, doubt, worry, bitterness, anger, wrath, hate, envy, jealousy, lust, pride, frustration, guilt, disgust, helplessness, loneliness, confusion, sadness, shame, self-criticism, judging others, contempt, stress, inadequacy, resentment. The peace of God will not allow those emotions to keep you from rejoicing in the Lord. John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” Colossians 3:15 “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” The Greek for rule is brabeuó: To rule, to arbitrate, to decide, to govern. From the root word βραβεύς (brabeus), meaning “an umpire” or “a judge.” From AI: “In ancient Greek culture, athletic games were a significant part of society, and the role of the umpire was crucial in ensuring fair competition. The umpire, or “brabeus,” was responsible for enforcing the rules and awarding the prize to the victor. This cultural backdrop provides a vivid metaphor for the spiritual life, where believers are encouraged to let the peace of Christ rule in their hearts, much like an umpire ensuring harmony and order.”

The song Peace, Perfect Peace. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibqgZxWa6bM

I need to read this article every morning and listen to these songs!