Thank you, Lord, for the loss of our internet connection at home (uncorrectable mistake by the phone company) and since I do 80% of my work over the internet, this will be a difficulty. Then came the  disappointment with my proposed solution: an the internet stick.  Yesterday, after spending 1.5 hours in the Vodaphone store getting it to work, I came home to find that there is only a very weak signal in our area. The stick does not work for internet.

Here was a case of setting my heart on something, on a solution, and then having it fail. Thank you for this, Lord, another chance to praise you by faith, to look away from my solutions to yours, to rest in you in the midst of difficulties—and such minor, simple inconveniences, really.

Thank you again, Lord, for the opportunity to deny self, to reject the input of my feelings, to get up the shield of faith and quench those fiery darts of self-pity, discouragement, negative thinking and complaining. You, Lord God, are the King of glory whom we can trust to bring about what is good and best and wise. I give you glory for your gracious kindness which you have stored up for us today. “…as it is written:   ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard,   no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him’ ” 1Corithians 2:9

I praise you, Lord Jesus, my Great Shepherd, that you have purpose for this disappointment. At the very least it is taking my eyes off of the small, temporary and unimportant things and shifting them to the eternal and powerful truths you want me to live in. I praise you that having no internet hook up is a part of our reality here. I thank you that you are directing me away from continually looking at things on line rather than spending my time in better things. Thank you for this disciplining which will lead to greater freedom.

Praise you, Lord God, that you are at work in wonderful ways, beyond my comprehension, to move us ahead and in obedience to you. I give you glory, Lord for your care, your protection, your grace, your goodness, your wisdom, your power, your righteousness and your love—all of them unending, unchanging, unalterable, unbelievably good.

To know you is all I need; forgive me for trying to draw my happiness, my security, my sense of control from such temporary, unimportant, minuscule things in life. My purpose is to live for you, to be obedient to your Word and Spirit, to dwell in your Word rather than in my feelings. Praise you for your grace and goodness, Lord.

Today may I live for you with all my heart, being filled with your Spirit and doing what is right and glorifying to you. Help me to praise you in all things, to reject complaining and negativeness and to rejoice in the great privilege of knowing you, Lord. Amen.