The Journey Inward provides practical insights to facilitate the ability to sit still before God, using the contemplative writing of Teresa of Avila’s Interior Castle as a framework.

Day Five

Psalm 106:1-2: “Praise the Lord! O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. Who can utter the mighty doings of the Lord, or declare all his praise?

Devotional

Positive psychology has found support for the approach of looking for the patches of blue in our sky of grey and has applied it to the discipline of gratitude journaling. Research supports the idea that writing down what we are thankful for actually helps improve our spiritual awareness, cognitive flexibility and stress management. It promotes optimism and positive emotions.

Take a moment to reflect:

·      Journal a couple of things you are grateful for that occurred in the past week.

·      Think about what your life would be like without a particular person, job or community, as this promotes a recognition of the gifts you have been given.

·      Look for the unexpected surprises in life.

·      Keep a list of answers to prayer as a source of encouragement for the future.

·      Prayer of faith: Thank God for the people in your life now and in the past. Thank God for all the things in your life that you are grateful for.

Dr Thompson’s Christ Centred Mindfulness books are available at Koorong. Additional resources are available here.