This year I'm especially grateful for brokenness and perspective. I'm thankful for God stepping in this year and going "It's time child.". I'm thankful God saw in me what I couldn't see in myself and forced me to see it. I'm thankful God wasn't content to let me stay comfortable and pushed me to where He knew I was created to walk. I'm thankful that I'm learning to not take myself so seriously or to focus on things I cannot change. (Some of you reading this just said an Amen!). God reminded me this afternoon of the verse so we fix our eyes not on what is temporary, but on what is eternal. God will lead you what the eternal things are.
I'm thankful that I am finally at a place where I am happy. Has everything gone according to plan? Why no...Is everything going according to plan? Umm..no that's not the case either. See I've learned what that verse meant that says I've learned to be content in all things. The day does not have to be going our way for us to praise Him during it. This is a hard truth that I have had presented to me multiple times in the last couple of weeks. (That is usually God's way of going...it's time to pass it child). When we have a relationship with God, we know who has our day and that's all that we need to know to walk it out. Honesty, transparent moment....your flesh/my flesh/the flesh will most of the time not feel it if the day is out of your comfort zone. Your flesh is going to want to stay where everything feels happy, which is not necessarily where you are happy. Your flesh may feel tired and exhausted, but your heart is happy. Your flesh may feel confused about something, but your heart is content and thankful. The Holy Spirit on the inside of us gives us the power to tell our flesh to hush it. It's a power we do not use as quick as we should or as often as we should. God is faithful and for that I am thankful. I'm thankful that's He's patient too and that even when I can't always see the me He sees, He gives me a glimpse that keeps me moving forward. Life doesn't always turn out the way we think it should, because we plan our lives a lot of times with our eyes and our perspectives. I'm thankful my steps are ordered by the One who has the ultimate perspective.
My FB feed for the last couple of days has been filled with things that make me think. I'm not going to get into the debate of the "cup" or how tear jerking it is to read about Joey and Rory. Both of these things though make me thankful. Thankful for perspective to step back and pray for that family and to go out and do something for someone else. The world isn't looking at what's on the side of a cup. When Jesus said to give a cup of cold water in His name, He meant at any time...not just at Christmas. Yes we as the church, we as Christians have to take a stand, but the world needs to see actions behind our faith. Our words aren't enough if we don't have love behind it. The holidays are rough for those that have lost loved ones or are losing loved ones as Joey and Rory are living out in front of us. Let's keep them all in our prayers and be His hands and feet to those that God puts in your path. God is looking to flow through His children this season not just to them. Let's be Jesus first and God will open the door for us to share about Him.
A heart of thankfulness and an attitude of gratitude are not something we can achieve on our own. The verse right below the being content in all things is one that we quote a lot. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. God didn't say we could do it without Him, but with Him we can have a heart of gratitude.
I challenge you to take time over the next few days to think about being thankful. So many times we go through the posts on FB and post something each day, but we don't ever stop and truly think about all God has done for us over the past year. How has God moved for you this year? Thank Him for it...even those things that seem trivial. God loves hearing us say thank you for everything and doesn't put a label on it.
I'm thankful that I am finally at a place where I am happy. Has everything gone according to plan? Why no...Is everything going according to plan? Umm..no that's not the case either. See I've learned what that verse meant that says I've learned to be content in all things. The day does not have to be going our way for us to praise Him during it. This is a hard truth that I have had presented to me multiple times in the last couple of weeks. (That is usually God's way of going...it's time to pass it child). When we have a relationship with God, we know who has our day and that's all that we need to know to walk it out. Honesty, transparent moment....your flesh/my flesh/the flesh will most of the time not feel it if the day is out of your comfort zone. Your flesh is going to want to stay where everything feels happy, which is not necessarily where you are happy. Your flesh may feel tired and exhausted, but your heart is happy. Your flesh may feel confused about something, but your heart is content and thankful. The Holy Spirit on the inside of us gives us the power to tell our flesh to hush it. It's a power we do not use as quick as we should or as often as we should. God is faithful and for that I am thankful. I'm thankful that's He's patient too and that even when I can't always see the me He sees, He gives me a glimpse that keeps me moving forward. Life doesn't always turn out the way we think it should, because we plan our lives a lot of times with our eyes and our perspectives. I'm thankful my steps are ordered by the One who has the ultimate perspective.
My FB feed for the last couple of days has been filled with things that make me think. I'm not going to get into the debate of the "cup" or how tear jerking it is to read about Joey and Rory. Both of these things though make me thankful. Thankful for perspective to step back and pray for that family and to go out and do something for someone else. The world isn't looking at what's on the side of a cup. When Jesus said to give a cup of cold water in His name, He meant at any time...not just at Christmas. Yes we as the church, we as Christians have to take a stand, but the world needs to see actions behind our faith. Our words aren't enough if we don't have love behind it. The holidays are rough for those that have lost loved ones or are losing loved ones as Joey and Rory are living out in front of us. Let's keep them all in our prayers and be His hands and feet to those that God puts in your path. God is looking to flow through His children this season not just to them. Let's be Jesus first and God will open the door for us to share about Him.
A heart of thankfulness and an attitude of gratitude are not something we can achieve on our own. The verse right below the being content in all things is one that we quote a lot. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. God didn't say we could do it without Him, but with Him we can have a heart of gratitude.
I challenge you to take time over the next few days to think about being thankful. So many times we go through the posts on FB and post something each day, but we don't ever stop and truly think about all God has done for us over the past year. How has God moved for you this year? Thank Him for it...even those things that seem trivial. God loves hearing us say thank you for everything and doesn't put a label on it.
Great thoughts!
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