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Day Three: Daily Nourishment

"Give us this day, our daily bread." Those who lead the life of faith repent daily. They pay attention to the evils present with them, acknowledge them, are on their guard against them, and implore the Lord for help. For by ourselves we are continually falling, but the Lord is constantly putting us on our feet again. By ourselves we fall whenever our minds desire something evil, but the Lord puts us back on our feet again whenever we resist evil and therefore do not carry it out. Secrets of Heaven 8391

The Lord knows that we require daily bread if we are to survive in the wilderness. The warmth of friendship, the joy of love, the delight of serving others, a feeling of worthiness – all of these are foods that allow our spirits to grow.

There are times when we long for heavenly bread. It seems as if we are starving in the wilderness. We cry out, "Where is happiness? Where is the joy in my life?" We find ourselves frustrated, even though we are striving to change our habits. For example, we find ourselves critical at work or selfish in our relationships. It seems as if we are dying of hunger.

Sometimes our hunger is so great that we are angry with God. We might say as the children of Israel did, "You have brought me into this wilderness to kill me with hunger." We wonder whether the effort of beginning the journey was worth it after all. We wonder if we will ever really be able to make the changes in ourselves that we desire.

In this state the Lord is continually there lifting us up, offering us new hope, and encouraging us to continue the journey. To feel the Lord’s presence in this way, we must continue to repent daily by resisting evils, looking to Him, praying for His help, and then making choices that reflect our prayers that ultimately lead us to a new, happier life. Discouragement and despair are withheld, and hope is restored.

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for all the amazing blessings You’ve given me in my life. Thank you for the opportunity to focus in on my spiritual growth and gain tools, insight and support. Thank you for the many ways that You provide for me in my life. Thank you for giving me this week to focus on seeing and being grateful for all the blessings that You give. Amen.

Gratitude Exercise: Make a List
Today I am thankful for...

Download the Exercise in printable form. (PDF)

Discussion Board
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