God’s Gift, Your Choice—Choose Joy

 God’s Gift, Your Choice—Choose Joy

Read It
"This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."
— Psalm 118:24 (NKJV)

Reflect on It
One of my former co-workers had this message on her desk that I’ll never forget. It said: “This is the day the LORD has made, don’t mess it up.”

Who me? Mess it up? Never. 😉 But let’s be real—how often do we “mess” up our days without even realizing it? Maybe it’s the wrong mindset, a sour attitude, or a perspective that’s out of whack. We’ve all been there.

But here’s the good news: every day is a new day, full of fresh mercies. Psalm 118:24 might be a verse you’ve heard growing up, or maybe you even sang the song: “This is the Day.” But let’s not miss the key word in this verse: WILL.

"This is the day the Lord has made; we WILL rejoice and be glad in it."

Will isn’t passive—it’s active. It means to choose, to desire, to consent. God does the work of giving us a new day, but we have to decide what we’ll do with it. We have to will ourselves to rejoice, to be glad, and to intentionally shape how we move through the day.

It’s about checking our thoughts, adjusting our attitude (yes, that mood), and shifting our perspective to see God’s goodness—even when “life be life-ing.”

So here’s the challenge: Today, don’t just let the day happen. Step into it with joy, gratitude, and intention. God gave us this day. Let’s not mess it up. 😉

Pray on It
LORD, thank You for this day You’ve made. Help me to be intentional with my words, my thoughts, and my actions, so that in everything, I’m choosing joy and reflecting Your goodness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Live It
Start your day by setting an intention to choose joy. Maybe it’s sharing a kind word, showing gratitude, or giving yourself grace—whatever reflects God’s goodness. Throughout the day, pause and ask yourself: Am I choosing joy right now? If not, take a deep breath, say a quick prayer, and refocus. Joy is a choice, and you can keep choosing it, moment by moment.