A Prayer to Start the Day with Gladness
By Kristine Brown
“Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” (Acts 14:17 ESV)
The moment I wake up, thoughts begin competing for my attention. I’ve noticed that my response depends on where I put my focus. I may react with frustration over my long to-do list awaiting me, or I may worry about things out of my control. I might even feel moody because I didn’t sleep well. So I have a choice to make first thing in the morning when starting my day. Will I choose to focus on whichever thought screams the loudest? Or will I choose gladness?
Acts 14 gives an account of Paul and Barnabas as they traveled around preaching about Jesus. While in Lystra, God used Paul to heal a man “crippled from birth.” The townspeople immediately began praising Paul and Barnabas and calling them gods. The crowd’s focus was on the wrong thing, so they couldn’t see the true source of their gladness.
Paul and Barnabas showed great remorse for how the people responded. They pleaded with the witnesses to “turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.” (Acts 14:15) Then Paul pointed the people back to Jesus by telling them about his goodness.
“Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” (Acts 14:17 ESV)
The people who witnessed the miracle healing had every reason to be glad that day. No doubt they wanted to rejoice for this good thing they’d seen happen right before their eyes! But they turned their focus away from the One who will satisfy us, whatever the day brings. Paul’s words from our key verse still hold truth for us today. Instead of beginning the day focused on the wrong things, let’s think about this:
Jesus satisfies our hearts with gladness.
Starting the day with gladness will change the atmosphere in our homes, workplaces, or wherever we are. It sets the right tone for the day ahead. Let’s thank Jesus right now and start this day being glad because of Him.
Let’s Pray:
Dear Heavenly Father,
You are my source of gladness. When I’m tempted to start my day with worry, frustration, or disappointment, I will turn my focus toward you. I have reason to rejoice today because of Jesus.
It’s so easy to get distracted by the cares of this world and forget that you created the earth and everything in it. James 1:17 tells me, “Every good and perfect gift is from above…” Thank you for the beauty of your creation, the comfort of your presence, and the wonderful gift of eternal life through your son. Whatever this day brings, I will respond with gladness because you are the only One who satisfies my heart. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Design credit: ©SalemdDesign/Bethany Pyle
Related Resource: Establishing a Routine of Rest
For a long time, rest felt less like a gift and more like a guilty indulgence — something to be earned, something to feel vaguely ashamed of, something that productive, faithful people did not really need. In a world that measures worth by output, the idea of stopping feels dangerously close to falling behind.
But what if rest is not optional? What if it was never meant to be? Tonight, lay down the hustle. Receive the gift. This is exactly what you were made for. Your Nightly Prayer is a daily Christian prayer podcast from the LifeAudio Podcast Network and Crosswalk.com. Each night, the team behind Crosswalk.com brings you a devotional and prayer to help you end your day in conversation with God. May these nightly prayers help you find the words to pray and focus your heart and mind on the love of God as you end your day. If you like what you hear, subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
Originally published Sunday, 15 May 2022.
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