Good Morning!

Are you a morning person? I am an early bird, and I love to start most days
with a brisk walk. I greet the people I meet with a “Good morning!” Not
everyone answers, and some look downright grumpy. I used to feel offended
when people would look the other direction when I smiled at them, but then
I realized it may not be a “good morning” for everyone. My cheery greeting
could be taken negatively by someone who’s struggling, as I’m reminded in
an obscure proverb: “A loud and cheerful greeting early in the morning will
be taken as a curse!” (Proverbs 27:14). Sometimes, we have good intentions
behind what we say, but it’s the wrong time or place. That’s why it’s
important to be considerate of others—we may not know what struggles
they’re going through. It is strange, though, that I often throw around the
phrase “good morning” even if the morning hasn’t been good for me—I may
have slept poorly, or I might be stressing about a busy day ahead, or I
could be feeling depressed. I might have even struggled to get out of bed.
But we have good news: whether we are morning people or not, God’s mercy
and grace are new every morning! Through Jesus’s death and resurrection, He
gives us a fresh start every day. Once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, He
enables us to live each moment with Him, and even on the worst days, He
gives us access to His strength, peace, and hope. Each day is full of good
gifts from God and reminders of Jesus’s unfailing love. He is good all the
time, even when our circumstances are not. • Abby Ciona • Do you consider
yourself an early bird, a night owl, or something in between? • Why is it
important to be considerate of others’ needs when we share encouragement? •
How might remembering that God’s mercy is new every morning give you
comfort and strength to face the day? The faithful love of the Lord never
ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin
afresh each morning. Lamentations 3:22-23 (NLT)

Read Verses:

Psalm 59:16-Psalm 59:17; Psalm 90:14; Lamentations 3:19-Lamentations 3:26