Alistair MacLean quotes a story from Tauler, the German mystic:

One day Tauler met a beggar. "God give you a good day, my friend." he said. The beggar answered, "I thank God I never had a bad one."

Then Tauler said, "God give you a happy life, my friend." "I thank God," said the beggar, "I am never unhappy."

Tauler in amazement said, "What do you mean?" "Well," said the beggar, "When it is fine, I thank God; when it rains, I thank God; when I have plenty, I thank God; when I am hungry, I thank God; and since God's will is my will, and whatever pleases Him, pleases me, why should I say I am unhappy when I am not?"

Tauler looked at the man in astonishment. "Who are you?" he asked. "I am a king," said the beggar. "Where then is your kingdom?" asked Tauler. And the beggar answered quietly: "In my heart."

As we end this week, we can either choose to focus on all that went wrong or all that went right. We can focus on the blessings God has given us, or on the things He has decided we are better off without. Our attitude and perspective are our choice. Sometimes we will encounter extremely difficult circumstances in life, but even then, the majority of those circumstances are out of our control. So, we can either choose to trust God, or live with bitterness because we can't control the outcome.

I encourage you, my friend, to trust God. Cling to His promises in the trials and celebrate the blessings He gives us. We can live in victory or defeat, but it all starts with our heart and where our trust lies. When God's will becomes ours, and what pleases Him pleases us, any day can be a good day.

Suggested prayer: Dear God, help me choose to focus on all that you are doing and the many blessings you give me. Even though the circumstances around me aren't always desirable, I ask that you allow my focus to be on you and my trust to be in you, so that I can experience your peace within me. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. In Jesus' name, amen.

1. Isaiah 26:3.