Think Happy Thoughts

​I have been greatly influenced by a commonly known Bible verse, Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Recently I have become irritated that my grown daughter doesn’t seem to have time to communicate anything meaningful, anything more than hitting the button to “love” a text I sent her or by texting me that she loves me and hopes that I have a wonderful day.  I want so much more than these thin lines of communication with my only child. 
Starting before I became frustrated with her lack of time for me, I had been praying very specifically for her and her husband, for God to draw them near to Himself and to cause a deep hunger they realize only God can fill.  I had been praying for God to keep them safe and preserve them for His ministry while they are searching for the truth in various directions, not having God as their center. 
With God’s gentle reminder for me to keep my mind on what is good, I have many blessings to thank God for in the communication I have with my daughter.  By even her brief texts and “likes” of my texts to her, I know that she is safe and well.  Those two blessings are not to be taken lightly, especially with COVID, the fact that she is often on the road very late driving home from work, and that they live in a big city where their apartment complex often has one or more homeless folks outside, and countless other factors making these two blessings reason enough for me to smile and raise my hands to the God who is protecting and providing for their every need.   
Satan wants to use the lack of deeper communication with my daughter against us both.  He wants her busyness to hinder her relationship with God, and he wants it to hinder my prayers for her and her husband. 
I am thankful the Holy Spirit is in us to remind, encourage, and fortify us to think on what is good.  I recall when my daughter ran away from home as a teenager how difficult it was to focus on the good without communication for two and a half months to know that she was safe and well.  God kept her safe in her questioning and rebellion, and He is not going to give up on her now.  During that difficult time, I remained in constant prayer recalling God’s promises and acknowledging His faithfulness regardless of what appeared to be true at the moment.
I had given my daughter to God while on my knees, pregnancy test in hand, thanking Him for the blessing she was, nine months before I laid eyes on her precious face.  All her life I saw God’s handiwork as well as satan’s strong attempts to pull her away and deceive her.  I knew she was created with leadership qualities and a servant’s heart to serve God.  I had to choose to remember this every day while waiting to know that she was safe and well after she ran away.  Alone remembering God’s promises for my daughter wouldn’t have pushed fears and worries aside.  The Holy Spirit strengthened me to remember and trust that God never breaks His promises. 
I raised my daughter to find, know, love, trust, and obey God.  We were very active in church and had a God-centered home life.  I knew based on God’s promise in Proverbs 22:6 that because I had raised her in how she should go, when she is old she will not depart from it. That promise alone gave me comfort to know that she would not pass from this earth without living in a strong relationship with the Lord as her savior and guide.  This promise eased my fears and fueled my prayers for God’s intervention in her life.
As Satan tries to use busyness to distract my daughter from God and to weaken my prayers for her and her husband, I am at peace knowing that satan is desperately clamoring for our attention because he isn’t winning against God in this attack.  Based on God’s promise in Romans 8:28, “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose," I will continue praying fervently for God’s protection and intervention in my daughter’s and her husband’s lives because I know God has great work in store for them which will be for their good and His glory.
Now and always I will choose to be thankful for the blessed communication I have with my daughter and pray against my own selfishness wanting more.  I pray for her relationship and communication with her Creator who pursues her heart with unrelenting, all-knowing, grace-filled agape love.