- What determines whether my day is a good day or a bad day?
- Can I influence what kind of day I have or am I at the mercy of circumstance and feelings?
- Can every day really be a good day?
Psalm 139 v 16
All the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.
(The Message Version)
I know from experience, that the best place I can be is right in the centre of Gods plan and purpose for my life. It’s the place where I know the most peace, irrespective of my circumstances; it’s the place where I am most successful in what I do and it’s the place where I know the most joy even when things don’t go according to my agenda.
This all sounds very ideal but in the busyness of life, how do I position myself to make this a reality on a daily basis, what steps can I take to make a difference to my day?
I have written this series of posts under the banner of Successful Living, a collection of resources including blogs, articles and quotes that provide very practical and hopefully profound steps that I have learnt during my walk with God.
I have worked in business and commerce for most of my adult life, I am a husband and a Father so I know the demands on time and energy that go hand in hand. However in the last few years, I have recognised the importance and the benefits of applying good foundations and kingdom principles into my life on a daily basis. I am still on a journey but I am learning everyday and I will be sharing that journey with you so as we can grow together.
“Most people will have better days if they have better nights”
(Bill Johnson – The Way of Life)
Be Intentional About a Good Nights Sleep
This is my first tip:
We are designed to rest, to sleep and to sleep well. When we sleep, our body rests but what about our mind and our spirit. (I talk a lot about the importance of Mind, Body & Spirit – you will get used to it). When I sleep, I want to be positioned to allow Holy Spirit to minister to me. He can do this in a very deep way, it can be a bit like surgery which changes things inside us. I don’t want any clutter in the way. Scrolling on my mobile devices, working on my computer, watching unhelpful television or dwelling on a difficult situation or circumstance before I go to sleep make this very difficult and will often result in an unsettled and poor-quality night’s sleep. So, I intentionally use the last hour of my day to allow my mind and spirit to rest and wind down. I listen to music or read a book. Any situations or difficulties on my mind, I lay before God, commit them to Him and resolve not to think about them until the next day.
Don’t be surprised when the enemy tries to do all he can to disrupt this, often putting thoughts and temptations in our mind that will later become a breeding ground for fear and anxiety. His aim is to rob us of the joy and peace that belongs to us – don’t let him!
“Take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ”
2 Corinthians 10 v 5
If an unhelpful thought comes into my mind, I take authority over that thought, command it to leave my mind and refuse to think about it anymore. Often these thoughts are lies that we speak to ourselves or that come from external influences – I deal with this in my forthcoming blog “Fact or Fiction”.
Finally, I pray, either on my own or with my wife and commit the nights sleep to God, asking Him to be Lord over my mind and spirit while I sleep.
So here are 4 Key Principles to get started with:
- Set aside the last hour of the day – allow your mind, body & spirit to wind down. Listen to music, read a book or rest in silence.
- Give to God, any situation thats troubling your mind – and resolve not to think about it again until the next day, if at all.
- Take authority over your thoughts – only think about what honours God, reject any other thoughts that try to come into your mind.
- Pray and commit you sleep to God – ask Him to be Lord over your mind & spirit as you sleep.
What are the First Thoughts on my Mind and Who Puts Them There?
How we wake up is as important as having a good night’s sleep. So, what is the first thing I do when I wake up? I used to grab my phone from beside my bed and scroll through messages, emails, news and social media! Stupid!
In the next blog, I will share some of my story around my mental & spiritual health journey. I will discuss how making radical changes to my morning routine and taking authority over my mind from the outset, transformed my day, so that every day can be a good day.
