Evening Reflection 3 – New Beginnings

Good evening!

We have begun a new week and as our day draws to a close our journey brings us to a point of reflection and preparation for tomorrow.

If you’re just joining me on this journey toward renewing our minds and improving our self-discipline, I invite you to read my article “Morning and Evening: A New Self Discipline Journey” to learn more about why I am doing this, and how this may benefit you as well.

With that said, let’s take this time to reflect on our day.

Breathing Exercise

Before we begin let us take some deep breaths to release stress, calm our minds and prepare us for this evenings reflection. You can take a few moments to breathe on your own or use the following video to guide you through a breathing exercise. This one is similar to the one from our morning discipline, but is self guided.

Music For Reflection

I personally like to have some soft music in the background, so if that’s something you like as well below you will find a song you can play for the duration of our time ttogether.

Prayer of Thanks

Now that we’re calm, and have let the worries of the day go, let us transition into a time of prayer.

Over the next few minutes you can pray on your own or feel free to use the following prayer:

Dear God,

We thank you tonight for the good day and for the special way you take care of us all the time.

Thank you for the fun times outside and the quiet times inside, and for helping us learn new things every day.

Thank you for creating us special, exactly the way you wanted.

Thank you for protecting us throughout the day.

Forgive us for the wrong things we do.

Thank you for loving us even when we disobey or try to do things our way.

Help us to always choose your way, God, because it’s always best.

We pray for all the people who don’t know you, and that they will come to understand your love for them, too.

Bless our family and thank you for good times together and apart.

Bless our friends and those we love, including our grandparents, our aunts and uncles and cousins.

Thank you for our home and a place to sleep and good food to eat.

Help us rest well, give us peaceful dreams, and send your angels around our home to protect us throughout the night.

Teach us to trust you and to love you more and more.

You are good; you are great; and you are faithful, God. And we love you.

Good night.

Source: Evening Prayers | Giving Thanks Goodnight Prayer

Affirmations Of Thanks

Affirmations are one way we can speak to our minds and remind ourselves of who we are in God and what He wants to do through us. Sometimes, when we struggle to let go of the days troubles it takes the words of our lips to speak His refreshment to our minds and help us find rest.

Here are a few affirmations for this evening that you can speak over this time of rest.

As you read through them, repeat each one out loud at least three times before moving to the next. Take your time. Close your eyes and say them to yourself as well. Let these words sink into your heart and mind this evening:

Thank You, God…

1. For Your enduring and faithful love.
2. For Your Kingdom that is not shaken by my mistakes.
3. For being my place of refuge and strength.
4. For every circumstance of my day as You were present in all of them.

Scriptures of Thanks

As Christians, our affirmations should be rooted in the rest we find in Jesus who reassures us that His burden is light and that we can trade our burden for His.

Here are some scriptures that further support the affirmations we just spoke to ourselves. Again, repeat each one three times out loud before moving to the next one. Take your time. Maybe pick one and try to commit it to memory as well:

1. Psalm 106:1, “Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.”
2. Hebrews 12:28-29, “Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire.”
3. Psalm 34:8, “Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!”
4. 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

An Evening Reflection

This morning’s challenge was to practice gratitude. Let us take some time to reflect on our day and the moments when we were thankful.

Here are some questions to ask yourself as you reflect. As you ask yourselves these questions perhaps take the time to write your responses in a journal (or an online journal) so you can revisit them in the days ahead and see your progress and how God is working in your life:

1. What moments was I thankful today?
2. Was it easy to be thankful?
   • If so, why?
   • If not, why?
3. What were the things I was thankful for?
4. In what ways did I see God working in my day?

Now, lay all the days events at the feet of Jesus, take a deep breath, and rest in His faithfulness.

Tomorrow is a new day!

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