Are your days filled with things you need to get done? Recently, I have incorporated a new practice in my daily life that has reframed each day and made it better than it would have been otherwise. I'm not about to suggest some time management hack or panacea that will eliminate all of the daily duties of life. That wouldn't be realistic. But there are two things I've done that made a difference for me, and perhaps they will for you as well.

Specifically, I have been putting into practice Psalm 103:1-2. I'll start with verse one: "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!"King David of Israel wrote this Psalm and he told himself to speak with favor to God about God. He basically commanded himself not to live a compartmentalized life where he blessed the Lord with a segment of who he is. Nor did he relegate his praise to a particular hour or day of the week. Instead, David declared that the deepest and truest part of who he was to always be praising God no matter what he was doing or where he was going.When I began to meditate on this verse through the day, I intentionally thanked God for His goodness and mercies to me. I blessed Him for the protection He provides that I never see. I blessed Him for his provision. I blessed Him for the insights His Spirit provides into the Bible. I blessed Him for the love He shows me through others.And when I took the time to simply "bless the Lord," my day's purpose became one of bringing Him glory. My thoughts and my focus turned toward Him and His goodness. My faith increased. My joy became more grounded and my gratefulness enlarged.In verse two David writes: "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits..." The word, "benefits" can also mean "accomplishments". As I am blessing the Lord for who He is, I am also remembering actively all that comes from Him as a benefit. I think of His salvation, comfort, wisdom, strength, power, the fruit of the Spirit and I'm in awe of what He brings to me (and us!). I also take time to think through some of the accounts of what He has done through the pages of the Bible, through history and in my own life.The simple practice of blessing the Lord and remembering His benefits right-sizes my day, my challenges, and my schedule to where I see His hand guiding me through it all. For me, this has been a life-shaping and faith building practice.Take these two verses and write them on a notecard. Place it where you'll see it in the morning as you get ready. Then, put them into practice as you begin your day and see if it doesn't make your day better, too!By Pastor Brad Mitchell