I praise you, Lord God, for the way you are using Scripture to transform my thinking, my will, my emotions, my responses, my values and my motives. To memorize your Word and meditate on it is powerful.

It is pouring your perspective down into my soul, my inner being, my secret areas where it brings cleansing, revelation and a greater grasp of your glory. It also brings a wider picture of your power, purposes and plans, which results in a greater trust of you. And this leads me to praise you all the time, especially for things that humanly speaking are distressing, unwanted and uncomfortable.

It is clear that this trust and the resulting praise are the way to trigger the flow of patience in my life. When I see the big picture of you having absolute control over where the events of the world are going, that you are molding them to fit your overall plans, that whatever comes to me comes with your permission and purpose, then I can reject my natural impatience at inconvenience, frustration and disappointment, take up Truth and patiently move through each event, trusting you. This is the outcome of receiving my security from you, Lord, who are my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my shield, my strength, my stronghold. (Psalm 18:1,2)

Along with this is the growing grasp of your great supply of significance, poured out upon me every day. There is an ongoing, deep, transformation that flows from knowing that I am yours, am with you, treasured by you, delighted in by you, invited to join you in your mighty purposes, am freely and consistently given worth, belonging and competence.

There is also an ongoing shift away from the fear of man to a fear of God, a desire to please you and a corresponding ability reject what people think, their disapproval, their denigration. Your approval is enough to rest in, live in, die in.

Another aspect of this is a better grasp of the joy of being weak, the opportunity to trust you to work where I am without influence. If I want adventure, trusting you in my weakness is it! This, combined with the daily reminder that the battle is not against flesh and blood, brings me to a compassionate, positive view of those who oppose me, even a warmth as I think about them.

What a change you are bringing in my being, Lord. This is certainly a foretaste of heaven. This is your bringing me out into an ever more spacious place, into growing freedom, into a greater joy. Glory be to you for this change that carries me forward in every area of my life.

I praise you for what you are going to do today, Lord, as you orchestrate the flow of events, protecting and exposing as you know is best. I praise you for the negative feelings that may come: frustration, a sense of uselessness, the perception of failure in my plans, anger, impatience, a feeling of worthlessness. Each of these is an opportunity to think Truth, to surrender to you, to praise you for the chance to use negatives to respond with a positive from your Word, to be a glory-giver rather than a glory-stealer.

I praise you for what you will lead me to accomplish and for what you will prevent for your glory. Before anything happens, I give you glory now, Lord Jesus, trusting in your Great, Good, Glorious and Gracious character.