My husband and I like to go on daily walks along the roadways of our rural town. Several years ago, we decided to pick up the trash that litters the ditches along the streets where we walk. It is rewarding both to get exercise and fresh air and to help beautify God’s earth. But it can be frustrating also. We find that after cleaning up an area, more trash accumulates within a few days. At one point, I became angry at the repeat offenders, but then I changed my way of thinking and started praying. With every piece of trash I pick up, I pray for the person who threw it there. Almost immediately God changed my anger and frustration into forgiveness and empathy.
We can reshape our thoughts and attitudes with prayer. Prayer can turn hate into love, fear into trust, anger into forgiveness, and despair into joy. As we remind ourselves to pray when confronted by negative thoughts such as fear and anger, we can reshape our thoughts to conform to the thoughts and ways of Jesus. God’s gift of pra...