Thursday's Lesson - A Merry Heart—Practical Optimism!Read Isaiah 26:1–4. How can you apply this passage practically in your life?

The secret of peace in this passage lies in answering the question of where do we place our trust? When we put our trust in things other than God the inevitable result is a disturbance of our peace. We must put our Trust in God. Practically we can apply this passage in a few simple ways.

Stop. In moments of distress we should take time out to pause and stop all activity. We may be headed in a course which leads to more frustration or dissatisfaction. By taking time to stop , it gives us the chance to align ourselves to God's will.

Pray. During the time that we have stopped it is necessary to petition God in prayer.
No matter how big or how small we should take it to God in prayer. Prayer changes the atmosphere and changes our hearts toward the situation.

Wait. We must now wait on God. Trust that God has heard your petition and cease trying to remedy the situation yourself. God will bring an answer , wait patiently until he hears your cry.

Read Psalm 27. What hope is presented here? How can we apply these words to ourselves?

The hope in this passage comes from a clear understanding of who God is. When we comprehend this we can have hope in the midst of any situation. These words can only be applied by patience , practice, and prayer.

We must be patient and wait upon the Lord. We must also learn to practice trust in God. We must then pray to God and ask for His help. To trust God is not something which happens automatically. We must remember his dealings with us in the past, and trust that He can do the same today.

There is ample evidence that a vibrant relationship with God impacts our total well-being. What changes do you need to make in order to have a better relationship with the Lord?

I believe that living on faith's edge will help us to have a better relationship with God. Faith's edge simply means by pushing your faith to its limits , but stepping out and trusting God we are able to have a more vibrant relationship with Him.

Prayer: Father please teach us to trust you more and to have more faith in you. Thank you for the way you have helped us in the past, help us not to forger. Thank you for your peace which passes all understanding. In Jesus name amen.