A young woman asked a godly friend to join her in praying that she would be able to give birth to her third child naturally without having a C-section.

The wise friend replied, “I will join you in praying for that because I know it is the desire of your heart. However…whatever happens, I hope you will respond with trust and thankfulness. Think of these two things as parallel train tracks. As long as you respond with these things, you will stay on-track. If you veer off into anything else (complaining, fear, dread, anger) you will go off-track every single time.”

Trust and thankfulness.

This should be the default mode for the follower of Christ. We can fully trust the One who died and rose again so that we would be His treasures forever, and we can overflow with gratitude because every single day of our earthly existence, He lavishes His love on us in hundreds of ways, big and small.

He knows what He is doing.

He has clearly told us in His word that His ways are not our ways. There is no need to be surprised when things do not go according to our plans. We must live with open hands to receive what He knows is best.

He can only do you good.

He loves you more than you can fathom.

Whatever happens in your life today, could you respond with trust and thankfulness?

That is the path of true joy.

For out of His fullness (abundance) we have all received…one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favor upon favor and gift heaped upon gift. —John 1:16