Colossians 3:1 says, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.”

My friend, life has a way of pulling our eyes downward.

We look at the bills.

We look at the problems.

We look at what somebody said about us.

We look at what went wrong yesterday and worry about what might go wrong tomorrow.

And before long, we can become so focused on what is happening around us that we forget what has happened within us.

Paul says, “If ye then be risen with Christ…”

In other words, remember who you are!

You belong to Jesus. You have been given new life. Your past does not get the final word. Your failures do not get the final word. Your circumstances do not get the final word.

Jesus does.

So Paul says, “seek those things which are above.”

That does not mean ignoring real life. It means looking at real life from a higher perspective.

Sometimes we need to lift our eyes.

There is still beauty in this world.

There are still people worth loving.

There are still blessings worth counting.

There is still laughter to enjoy.

There is still kindness to give.

And there is still a God who loves you more deeply than you can imagine.

So today, don’t spend all your time staring at what is wrong.

Look up!

Love somebody. Encourage somebody. Forgive somebody. Enjoy the little things God places along your path.

Because when your heart is set on Christ, you begin to discover something wonderful:

Heaven changes the way you see earth.

Have you ever noticed how much time we spend focusing on what is missing?

Someone once said, “When asked if my cup is half-full or half-empty, my only response is that I am thankful I have a cup.”

That is the heart of gratitude.

Gratitude does not deny that part of the cup is empty. It simply refuses to overlook what God has already placed in our hands.

First Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

Paul did not say we must be thankful for every painful circumstance. He said we can find a reason to thank God in every circumstance.

Your cup may contain some disappointment. There may be prayers that have not been answered and dreams that have not come together. But you are still here. God gave you another morning. His mercy is still new, His grace is still sufficient, and His presence is still with you.

You may not have everything you want, but you still have reasons to be grateful.

So before you complain about the empty part, thank God for the cup. Thank Him for what He has already provided. Thank Him for how far He has brought you.

Your cup may not be full yet, my friend, but God is still good, still faithful, and still working.

Hold your cup with a grateful heart and trust God with what comes next.

Matthew 22:37 (KJV) says, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”

Good morning, my friend.

Jesus was asked what mattered most, and His answer was beautifully simple: Love God with everything you’ve got.

Not just on Sunday morning.

Not just when life is going good.

Not just when the prayers are being answered the way you hoped.

Love Him with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.

Because here is what I have discovered. Whatever gets the biggest piece of your heart will eventually have the biggest influence over your life.

If worry gets your heart, worry will lead you.

If bitterness gets your heart, bitterness will shape you.

If the opinions of other people get your heart, you will spend your life trying to keep everybody happy.

But when God has your heart, everything else begins to find its proper place.

And friend, God is not asking you to love Him because He needs something from you. We love Him because He first loved us.

He loved us enough to send Jesus.

He loved us enough to meet us in our mess.

He loved us enough to give His life on an old rugged cross.

So today, before you give your heart to your schedule, your problems, your phone, or everybody else who needs something from you, give your heart to God.

Love Him first. Love Him fully. Love Him faithfully.

Because when God has your heart, He can change your whole life.

And that is your encouraging word from the Word today.