Thanksgiving in Action: Be Grateful

For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with gratitude; for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. (1 Timothy 4:4-5 and Colossians 3:15)

Be thankful for EVERYTHING you'd rather not be without. Let us as Americans never lose sight of the fact that most of our 'problems' are 1st world inconveniences in comparison to the struggles and suffering of others. Be grateful for what and who you have in your life and show it by letting loved ones know they're loved and giving to others. Pay it forward!

An Open Heart: Life Lessons From God

                        

Everyone knows that adversity and heartaches are as much a part of life as breathing itself. All of us have had moments in life when the good days seem like a distant memory and the bad days cause a struggle that is nearly unbearable. If you claim belief in Jesus and have confidence in his power, you can take comfort and draw strength from him. Many times, during these dark phases of life, questions fill our minds; “why me?, why now?” or “what did I do to cause this?” Other times we find ourselves hard at work seeking the Lord’s will and trying diligently to carry it out with obedience. During these times, the pain is not necessarily felt in the process we go through to do what he asks but is very closely tied to the blessings that result from that obedience.

I recall a time when I was trying really hard to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit by supporting a close friend with her decision to move out of state. She had endured many difficult times in her life before I met her one year ago. She had a deeply compassionate heart and a true love for God but the wounds from her past had yet to heal. As I was getting to know her, I felt a connection that I believed was created by God and placed there to allow me to minister to her. Month after month went by until, despite her fear of allowing anyone near, we became close friends. An opportunity arose for her to move in with her brother, reduce her debt and even go back to school. In order to take advantage of this opportunity, she would have to uproot her life and move hundreds of miles away. I prayed that God would provide her with healing, protection and provision and I knew that this move was part of his plan.

When she told me of her plan to move, I was filled with mixed emotions. I knew it would be the beginning to a positively changed life for her. I also knew that I ran the very real risk losing contact with a friend that I had grown to love like a sister. So, when I thought about the direction both of ours lives were going and God’s will for each of us, I found myself asking ‘why’. Not so much why she had to move. I knew he wanted to answer my prayers to prosper her and this was his way of doing it. I asked ‘why’ for more personal reasons. I knew God had called me to show love, open my heart and life as well as speak the word he gives for specific people and do for them according to his leading. The blessings I see in others as well as my own life are incredible. Seeing God set a person up on his foundation and strengthening them to stand on their own and then fly is awesome! To be allowed to be any part of that is truly overwhelming.

Now, with that said, my question is, “Lord, why does following your will and gaining so much blessing have to be tied to so much pain-pain that almost takes my breath away at times”. He gently reminded me, “You can’t have one without the other. Vulnerability is necessary to connect at such a deep level, but it also allows for pain. If you take the vulnerability away, you also take away the ability to ever do what I have called you to do.” It was at that moment that I understood the term ‘bittersweet’. Even though I still felt the intense sadness of loss, I also felt the Lord pouring his love on me and through me. I knew that he had both of us in his keeping. I didn’t know what the future would bring but I knew that the Lord has an abundance of blessings set aside for each of us. I realized that the key to his blessings wasn’t necessarily in getting to a particular destination in life but in following God’s will and guidance throughout the journey to that destination.


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The Curtain

                      

What do you do when you know a friend is hurting? You hurt too, don’t you? You also want to do whatever you can to ease the hurt, to help them through that difficult time. We’ve all been in that type of situation more than once yet at times it is still tough to know the right thing to do. I recall one particular occasion when I faced just such a dilemma. The answer I was given caught me blind sighted and changed both are lives.

How?

My friend had a deep heartache that she tried to hide. I knew something was wrong but was unsure what it was or how I could help. One night as we were talking, she finally opened up to me and told me that of all the struggles she faced or losses she had endured, the most hurtful one was the lost relationship between her and Jesus. She told me of how close she used to be and how she would worship and study the Bible but because of past mistakes she didn’t feel she could do either, which caused her to feel very distant. As I listened, my mind raced to find the right words to say that would comfort her and give her the answer she needed. I told her that God loved her and would always want a relationship with her but as I spoke I realized I was saying things that I hadn’t spoken of or even allowed myself to think of in quite a while. Feeling as if I were loosing this battle to help my friend, I instinctively did something I hadn’t done in a long time. I prayed! I said, “Lord, what can I do to help her be close to you again?” I immediately heard, “How can you help her be close to me when you’re not close to me?” Talk about something that gets your attention! That was truth hitting me square in the face!

Humbled

Then, in my mind’s eye, I saw a curtain being pulled back to reveal all the things that I allowed myself to participate in that was not pleasing to God. Things in my life that pulled me away from him and things that took my time and focus prohibiting me from hearing his voice were all set center stage for me to acknowledge as that curtain was raised. Like one of the final acts of a dark Elizabethan play, my life as I was living it was in plan view for me to see as God saw it. In that moment, God allowed me to feel a fraction of the sorrow he felt as he watched me pursue this life of sin, emptiness and distance from him. As tears streamed down my face, I prayed to God that he would forgive me for the way I was living and for neglecting my own relationship with him. I asked him to teach me how to draw close and stay close to him.