Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live. – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (The Message)
Read the passage again, are you living that way? If not, why not? Have you tried thanking God no matter what happens? Why can we live this way if we live in Jesus?
This story was e-mailed to me:
A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help." There were only a few coins in the hat. A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words. Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy.
That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?"
The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way. I wrote: ‘Today is a beautiful day but I cannot see it.’" Both signs told people that the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people that they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?
A lot of life is how we look at it. Now don’t get me wrong, that is not all of life. But sometimes we get so down about what we do not have, we forget about what we do have. A friend told me about seeing a little boy watching his father complaining in a store about all what life had dealt him and his family. The poor boy started crying and his dad angrily said, “Why are you crying?” He hugged his father’s leg and said, “Daddy you have me.” We each have great reasons to give thanks and to rejoice, let’s hold onto them and thank our God that we have them at all!
With hope and joy,
Garrett
Showing posts with label thanksgiving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label thanksgiving. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
When At The Gates of God
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him, bless his name. – Psalm 100:4 (NRSV)
What are you thankful for today? Have you told God? Have you told anyone for that matter? Where have you found the gates of God? Where do you think God’s courts are? How have you blessed God’s name?
I once heard that each time you pick up the phone you should smile. When I asked why I was told, “Because the person on the other line will be able to hear your smile and you will make their day better.” Ever since I have heard that mighty peace of wisdom I have tried to follow it. Even if I am not making the person’s day better on the other end of the line, it makes my day a little better.
Mother Teresa once said, “Kind words can be short and very easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” I suppose that is true. I remember the people who tell me very kind things and very mean things. Both stick with me. Sometimes I say very rude things before I think about it. It really is simple to say something rude, and we try to apologize later saying something like, “I am sorry about that, my emotions got the best of me.” But we know that doesn’t make it better, those awful words hang in the air. The people we hurt are hurt. Words cannot really be taken back, which is why it is good to say kind words. They linger in the air too, but instead of pain they bring joy.
I got a call today from a friend. She was obviously smiling when I answered the phone, I could hear it and suddenly I was smiling too. She was so full of joy it made me happier. She was so full of thanksgiving it made me more thankful. Then she said some kind words about me and my heart rejoiced. Now I am praising God too!
I hear a lot of people talk about how awful the world is these days. We have each complained bitterly about something. But each morning we wake up we enter the gates of God. God’s courts are all around us, and there is plenty for which to be thankful! We must make choices though. We can choose to answer the phone with a frown and bring no joy. We can choose to say rude words and only make it so people don’t want us anywhere near. Or we can choose to rejoice with thanksgiving because we are in the courts of God, we are saved in the name of Jesus, we are God’s little loves. The choice is ours each moment. How will you enter the gates of God today?
With hope and joy,
Garrett
and his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him, bless his name. – Psalm 100:4 (NRSV)
What are you thankful for today? Have you told God? Have you told anyone for that matter? Where have you found the gates of God? Where do you think God’s courts are? How have you blessed God’s name?
I once heard that each time you pick up the phone you should smile. When I asked why I was told, “Because the person on the other line will be able to hear your smile and you will make their day better.” Ever since I have heard that mighty peace of wisdom I have tried to follow it. Even if I am not making the person’s day better on the other end of the line, it makes my day a little better.
Mother Teresa once said, “Kind words can be short and very easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” I suppose that is true. I remember the people who tell me very kind things and very mean things. Both stick with me. Sometimes I say very rude things before I think about it. It really is simple to say something rude, and we try to apologize later saying something like, “I am sorry about that, my emotions got the best of me.” But we know that doesn’t make it better, those awful words hang in the air. The people we hurt are hurt. Words cannot really be taken back, which is why it is good to say kind words. They linger in the air too, but instead of pain they bring joy.
I got a call today from a friend. She was obviously smiling when I answered the phone, I could hear it and suddenly I was smiling too. She was so full of joy it made me happier. She was so full of thanksgiving it made me more thankful. Then she said some kind words about me and my heart rejoiced. Now I am praising God too!
I hear a lot of people talk about how awful the world is these days. We have each complained bitterly about something. But each morning we wake up we enter the gates of God. God’s courts are all around us, and there is plenty for which to be thankful! We must make choices though. We can choose to answer the phone with a frown and bring no joy. We can choose to say rude words and only make it so people don’t want us anywhere near. Or we can choose to rejoice with thanksgiving because we are in the courts of God, we are saved in the name of Jesus, we are God’s little loves. The choice is ours each moment. How will you enter the gates of God today?
With hope and joy,
Garrett
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
When Stress Melts Away
Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7 (NRSV)
What do you worry about? Have you tried giving those worries to God? Have you experienced the peace of God? Does it surpass all understanding? Who have you met who lives with this peace? What does it mean to have a heart and mind guarded in Christ Jesus?
I read that recent studies have demonstrated stress changes our brain chemistry and our behavior. Those who are “always” stressed are prone to habitat formation. By forming routines and habits we attempt to put ourselves on automatic pilot, and in that way the hope is that we can better focus on the crisis at hand. However, what is actually happening is our brain is rewired in ways that keep us stressed. The automatic pilot does not help stress go away, it keeps us stressed out. Constant stress has also shown to hurt our immune systems, raise blood pressure, stiffen arteries, and make us miserable among other things.
Thankfully, according to the study, such changes in the brain are reversible. What does it take to change it back to normal? Relaxing.
One of the finest gifts of prayer is its ability to help us relax, to exist in the moment with our God who is in control. When we are on autopilot we are always trying to stay one step ahead, to figure out what comes next, and the consequence of that is stress and worry. Also it seems autopilot has no room for prayer. Jesus said, “You cannot add anytime to your life by worrying about it,” and maybe it is time we start believing him! Life is a precious gift. By living we get to experience love and beauty, friendship and nature, sunrises and thunder storms, the feel of water hitting our bare skin and a well needed hug, even in the midst of pain and strife. Think of all the reasons to pray to God with thanksgiving right now. Now pray with that thanksgiving, and perhaps you may feel the peace which surpasses all understanding as the stress melts away.
With hope and joy,
Garrett
What do you worry about? Have you tried giving those worries to God? Have you experienced the peace of God? Does it surpass all understanding? Who have you met who lives with this peace? What does it mean to have a heart and mind guarded in Christ Jesus?
I read that recent studies have demonstrated stress changes our brain chemistry and our behavior. Those who are “always” stressed are prone to habitat formation. By forming routines and habits we attempt to put ourselves on automatic pilot, and in that way the hope is that we can better focus on the crisis at hand. However, what is actually happening is our brain is rewired in ways that keep us stressed. The automatic pilot does not help stress go away, it keeps us stressed out. Constant stress has also shown to hurt our immune systems, raise blood pressure, stiffen arteries, and make us miserable among other things.
Thankfully, according to the study, such changes in the brain are reversible. What does it take to change it back to normal? Relaxing.
One of the finest gifts of prayer is its ability to help us relax, to exist in the moment with our God who is in control. When we are on autopilot we are always trying to stay one step ahead, to figure out what comes next, and the consequence of that is stress and worry. Also it seems autopilot has no room for prayer. Jesus said, “You cannot add anytime to your life by worrying about it,” and maybe it is time we start believing him! Life is a precious gift. By living we get to experience love and beauty, friendship and nature, sunrises and thunder storms, the feel of water hitting our bare skin and a well needed hug, even in the midst of pain and strife. Think of all the reasons to pray to God with thanksgiving right now. Now pray with that thanksgiving, and perhaps you may feel the peace which surpasses all understanding as the stress melts away.
With hope and joy,
Garrett
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Prayer and Gratitude
Do not worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks. – Philippians 4:6 (NCV)
What do you worry about? Do you worry about things you need or things you want? When did you pray to God last for everything you need? Why is it important to give thanks while asking for what you need?
A friend asked me once why we should pray if God knows everything. It is a question I imagine we have all asked at some point. Maybe one of the reasons we do not pray more is the belief that if God knows everything we do not need to pray. God knows I am happy; I do not need to pray. God knows I am angry; I do not need to pray. God knows I am in pain; I do not need to pray. God knows what I need; I do not need to pray.
Maybe God does know all of these things, but do we? Do we truly know what makes us happy? Are the things that make us angry things that should make us angry? What is the root of our pain? Do we have any idea what we actually need? The problem with my friend’s question as to our need for prayer is that it centers on us as individuals and is by nature selfish. Prayer opens us to God the eternal forever, the Word, the alpha and omega. Prayer moves us beyond ourselves to discover our God in whose image we are made. Prayer is not done out of God’s need to be communicated with, but of our need to communicate with God, discover who God desires us to be and what we truly need!
Maybe that is why we are told to pray while always giving thanks. There is something about people who are grateful. Grateful for the moment regardless of circumstance. Grateful for a kind smile from a stranger. Grateful for another day with breath flowing through the lungs. Grateful for a merciful God who is by God’s very nature love. Such people always seem to have what they need.
Meister Eckhart once said, “If the only prayer you ever said in your whole life is ‘thank you,’ that would suffice.” Amen to that! Let us pray for everything we need, always giving thanks and perhaps all of our worry will disappear when we discover that somehow, we have everything we need!
With hope and joy,
Garrett
What do you worry about? Do you worry about things you need or things you want? When did you pray to God last for everything you need? Why is it important to give thanks while asking for what you need?
A friend asked me once why we should pray if God knows everything. It is a question I imagine we have all asked at some point. Maybe one of the reasons we do not pray more is the belief that if God knows everything we do not need to pray. God knows I am happy; I do not need to pray. God knows I am angry; I do not need to pray. God knows I am in pain; I do not need to pray. God knows what I need; I do not need to pray.
Maybe God does know all of these things, but do we? Do we truly know what makes us happy? Are the things that make us angry things that should make us angry? What is the root of our pain? Do we have any idea what we actually need? The problem with my friend’s question as to our need for prayer is that it centers on us as individuals and is by nature selfish. Prayer opens us to God the eternal forever, the Word, the alpha and omega. Prayer moves us beyond ourselves to discover our God in whose image we are made. Prayer is not done out of God’s need to be communicated with, but of our need to communicate with God, discover who God desires us to be and what we truly need!
Maybe that is why we are told to pray while always giving thanks. There is something about people who are grateful. Grateful for the moment regardless of circumstance. Grateful for a kind smile from a stranger. Grateful for another day with breath flowing through the lungs. Grateful for a merciful God who is by God’s very nature love. Such people always seem to have what they need.
Meister Eckhart once said, “If the only prayer you ever said in your whole life is ‘thank you,’ that would suffice.” Amen to that! Let us pray for everything we need, always giving thanks and perhaps all of our worry will disappear when we discover that somehow, we have everything we need!
With hope and joy,
Garrett
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