With a Grateful Heart
Relax, Recognize, Remember
2 min read
With everything that's going on around us in the world today, it's so easy to get caught up in all that's going wrong. I mean, pandemics, wars, unrest, crazy weather patterns, etc., etc. Seriously, what on earth is going on!? Just thinking about it can really stir panic, worry, stress, and fear. But Jesus prophetically prepared us for times like these...
"And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, BUT DON'T PANIC... Nation will go to war against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world." Matt 24:6, 7 (NLT)
You can read the rest of what is still to come in Matt 24 if you like. But the bottom line is that Jesus pre-warned us of these things, so it shouldn't come as any surprise that we are in a spiritual war. But God did not leave us to deal with it alone or unequipped - He's given us many instructions on how to get through it. Here's just one I want to share with you today...
"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes." Mark 6:34 (NLT)
Soaking Session...
Something that Sheldon and I started doing this year to help us keep our attention on what God is doing in our lives and in this world right now is by making a list of the things we're grateful for. As we do this, we're reminded that God is continuously moving in the little, everyday things. These are tough times and with so much else vying for our constant attention, it really helps keep our focus in the right place. Our goal is to write at least one thing each per day until the end of the year when we'll re-read it all together as a celebration of the good that God has done.
And we will say...
"O LORD my God, you have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them." Psalm 40:5 (NLT)
So DON'T PANIC! (Jesus' words), rather...
Relax - stop, breathe, take one day at a time.
Recognize - cultivate a grateful heart and worshiping lifestyle by taking note of the miracles in your everyday life.
Remember - if you've given your life to Jesus, then you're on the winning team. Regardless of what you're facing on earth today, the eternal victory is already yours!!