When I was little, my dad told me that every day he prays Psalm 118:24: “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” I always thought that was a little strange because it doesn’t sound much like a prayer. It sounds more like a thought or a reminder—something you’d say to yourself, not to God.

Some days, I just don’t feel like rejoicing, plain and simple. Like today, for instance. My work day was epic, and nothing seemed to go right. I was tired and distracted by worries. And, to top it off, the cold I caught over the weekend has been getting the best of me. Needless to say, I wasn’t in the best mood when I left the office.

When I got home this evening, I decided I needed some time alone with God. So I mowed the lawn. (Prayer time and a freshly mowed lawn; now that’s what I call a productive use of time.) Throughout my prayer, I just kept asking God to change my attitude—to help me rejoice. And a crazy thing happened: He did. By the time I was done, my attitude had improved a lot for no apparent reason.

It hit me tonight what my dad meant when he said he prays Psalm 118:24. Sometimes it’s not enough just to remind myself to rejoice; I need to ask God to help me—to have enough humility to tell God I can’t do it on my own. When I did that today, God reminded me of how much he loves me and how much he’s done for me, and it completely changed my attitude. Why would I just remind myself to rejoice when the one who created this day—and me—is there to help?