A Profitable Day

It is quite common today to say “Have a nice day!” when we take our leave of someone. It creates a very encouraging and positive effect. This expression has been around for quite some time, but never seems to get old. It simply means, “I hope you have a profitable day,” and I believe that most people sincerely mean it. It is not just a casual, trivial expression.

Upon rising each morning, I think most of us ladies intend to have a profitable day. And we all know that putting God first in prayer can make a very big difference in our success. However, on some days, no matter how hard we try, things can happen to blur our focus and knock us off track. In these cases, we may need more prayer for self-control.

Being a morning person, I also enjoy studying God’s word at that time—when my mind is fresher and more alert. If I am rushed for time, one of my favorite go-to scriptures is Psalm 15. This psalm has only five verses, but it is chock-full of righteous requirements. In verse one, it asks, “Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?” Then in verse two, it answers, “He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart.” It goes on to list other qualities of righteousness, ending with the very encouraging words of the last sentence of verse five: “He who does these things shall never be moved.” Also, its companion scripture is Psalm 24:3–5, “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.” These scriptures help me to remember to walk in a right path and keep my day profitable.

Most young ladies I have come to know desire to meet the “man of their dreams” and live happily ever after. Believe me, a lot of thought and planning goes into this, but preparation is sometimes lacking. With these thoughts in mind, let us return to the original reason Eve was created. In Genesis 2:18 we read, “And the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.’” Eve was created to be a helpmate for Adam, filling a wifely role as homemaker.

This type of marriage relationship has been maligned and disparaged in modern times due to certain aspects of modern thinking. However, to manage a home as a wife and mother can be very rewarding, fulfilling, and even empowering, if done with love and kindness in a godly manner. Blessings abound to those who embrace this way of giving to others.

The young ladies can succeed in their desires, which I mentioned before, if they are prepared. Some have told me that they were pleasantly surprised to discover talents and skills they did not even know they possessed, after obtaining a home and family of their own—which can bring about many profitable days.

In order to have a profitable day on a regular basis, one must opt to start out with a positive attitude. “Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established” (Proverbs 16:3). Also, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8). And as we think on these things, let us not forget to maintain the important things that we have already achieved—as the Apostle Paul exhorted the Philippians. “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind” (Philippians 3:13–16).

In our quest to have a profitable day, all too often we may find ourselves fretting over small things, most of which, if analyzed properly, “don’t amount to a hill of beans” as the saying goes. This type of thinking and fretting can become habitual and worrisome to others. And it may take great effort—with God’s help—to eradicate it.

In times past, my husband was very helpful to me in this area. He would simply say, “Get your mind off of that.” I would, because he was actually doing us both a favor, and to this day I still lean to that wise understanding. So, as we can see from the things mentioned above, as long as we seek God’s Kingdom and His righteousness first, and do not allow ourselves to be sidetracked, we can look forward to many profitable days.