Last week I encouraged you to create a fresh start to your day by purposefully thinking about how you spend your first hour each morning. Over the next three posts I will be sharing with you the 7 D’s I do each morning to renew my mind, refresh my soul and restore my body. These steps can be done in one hour, two hours or half a day just depending how much time you have and the depth of transformation you want to create. Do not compare how you spend your time You might only spend 5 minutes doing declaration statements whereas someone else spends 15 minutes on that step. As Teddy Roosevelt said, “comparison is the thief of joy.” So focus on doing your best and then leave the rest. No matter how you divide the time on these seven steps, if you are intentionally about practicing them, I promise you will reap the benefits.
The first “D” that I want to urge you to put into practice is taking time to DELIGHT in God. Matthew 6:33 reminds us to “first and most importantly seek His kingdom and righteousness and these things will be given to you also.”(AMP) And Psalm 37:4 says to “delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (ESV) Before I even try to focus on my to-do list for the day I have to remind myself of my to-be list which is found in God’s Word. Now delighting in God does not mean you have to pledge to read three chapters of the Bible each day. It could be as simple as reading a verse or paragraph and meditating on it or listening to a devotion and then spending some time thinking about how that impacts your actions today in and in the future. Or singing worship songs or journaling your prayers. Find what speaks to you and helps you draw closer to God.
The second “D” is to DECLARE who you are now and what you want to see happen in your life. Our mind is a powerful place and it is where transformation can begin. Romans 12:2 says, “do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” We can set ourselves up for success or failure based on our thinking. So each morning spend some time making influential declarations that can help you set the tone for how you carry yourself throughout the day. Don’t just whisper them to yourself, but declare with confidence and power, “I am stronger NOW! I am focused NOW! I am grateful NOW! I am better NOW!” Again use statements that speak to your heart, don’t just say them because someone else told you it works for them. Find your own voice. For me two of the most powerful statements I can declare is “I am fearfully and wonderfully made NOW!” and “I am enough NOW!” With your declarations, write them out, shout them out and let them break you out of your strongholds.
Today delight in God and declare who you are! I look forward to sharing the other “D’s” with you later this week. Until then feel free to share in the comments below how these two steps are transforming your mindset, your morning and your mood!
