I will not weep,
for the things I do not control,
I will not spend days in sorrow,
or allow pain to define my walk

I will stand with God,
and not worry about man,
and I will not allow others to steal my joy,

Today I will choose to be happy,
no matter what state I find myself,
I am blessed by the Most High,
today I have life,
today I have a breath,
today I can eat,
today I can smile,
today I have a chance to tell someone I love them..

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven-- Ecclesiastes 3:1

Ecclesiastes 3 reminds us that time plays a significant role in our lives. It seems that until we understand that our lives are affected by this important element it will be hard to live a happy life.

Every phase of our life is affected by time. There are times when we are a sad, but guess what at some point in time we will be happy. We must therefore understand that everything is for a period. If we focus on that fact, then we know that God will change our present disposition to one that is favorable for us. However, oftentimes we think that we control time and as such we never allow God to do things in His time.

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time. 1 Peter 5:6

For us to reach this level of spiritual understanding we must first be willing to humble ourselves to God. Let me say that may not be so easy, but with God all things are possible. If we trust His Word and live by his commands it makes that time when we are troubled seem like a flash in the sky.

Like everyone in this life I have had my many episodes with pain and with sorrow. I have also had many times of happiness and joy. The hard times I faced have helped me to be a stronger person. When I am afflicted with issues at times I wonder if it is temptation from the devil or a test from God. I have come to appreciate that the things that are nonspiritual are always from the devil, as the writer in James reminds me that God does not do evil. Therefore when you have dark thoughts or have the tendency to sin that is of the devil. We can make whatever excuse we want, but God never tells us to commit sin. However, we go through many tests of our faith. If we give up then the devil is ready to prey and tempt us to do his will.

Each day our time in this life gets shorter and that must also prick us to change our stance. We all need to look in the mirror and ask ourselves, are we with God? Does God hear my prayers? Do I do God's will? Am I serving man instead of God? Do I live each day ensuring that I follow his commandments? Do I share His gospel with others? Do I read/study His Word with an open mind?

Our answers to those questions will determine if our time is spent with God. It is my mission to focus more on the image in the mirror and to let God be my guide. There is no time to waste focusing on what others are doing. It is even worse if my life is not an example for others in ALL things. At the end of the day friends, none of us can hide from God.

  A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance. Ecclesiastes 3:4

Sometimes in this life we spend our days complaining about how hard our lives are. Maybe we should look at what God has done for us before we utter those negatives words.

Today I was reading a testimony on Facebook about a woman whose 7 year old son had to undergone a very evasive spinal surgery. She mentioned in every word the name of God, thanking Him for taking her son through the surgery and the healing that is taking place daily. Before I read this article I was not feeling so well myself, but at that moment I realized that my own pain was negligible compared to this child. How can I complain?

In this life we all have burdens to bear and some are greater than others. So why do we spend so much time complaining about our issues? Have we given up on God's Word?