"Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts" (Psalm 105:1-2).
Randy was running his own business and getting straight A's in college. When I asked how he did it, he said, "It's simple. I write my own test. As I study, I anticipate what will be on the test, and then I write possible questions. When I take the test, I'll know many of the answers because I've already written the questions."
I have a simple test to find out if I am on the right track spiritually each day. God has written it for me in 1 Thessalonians 5:18:"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." I ask myself if I am giving thanks in all circumstances. If I am holding a grudge or worrying or focusing on my own desires, then I am not giving thanks. I am able to be grateful in all situations only if I know that He is with me and is for me because of Jesus. So when I am "failing the test," I simply start giving thanks, and then I am indeed doing God's will for me in Christ Jesus - it's an easy "A."
