Faith
“Stay alert, with your eyes wide open in gratitude” Colossians 4:2 (Message).
C. S. Lewis warns, ‘We have a tendency to reject the good that God offers us because, at that moment, we expected some other good.’ The year was 2000 and what should have been my daughter’s high school graduation was not to be. I had dreaded this day for a year knowing that as her childhood friends would be reaching for their diploma she would be reaching for her next drug of choice. Her friends would be packing for college at the end of the summer while she would be packing her body full of heroin. As I arose that morning I decided to sit on the deck during the hours that the graduation ceremony would be happening. I took a chair out there and put on some comforting music as I waited for the clock to strike. At 1:00, when I expected the skies to grow black, the music to turn sour and my heart to shatter, I noticed how beautiful the day was. The sun was high in the sky…the temperature was perfect and pleasant…birds singing back and forth ... glistening sun rays on the lake. Time was suspended and I had been given a gift. The gift was a perfect moment transcending my pain, a spiritual view of God’s handiwork over a depleted and fearful heart.
God gave me His best in those moments and the gratitude in my heart rose above my present suffering. Did His best in those moments change the circumstances in my life? No. Did my gratitude for those spiritual things in those moments change the fact that my heart would continue to break for the following 5 years? Certainly not! But this was the point both C.S. Lewis and Paul were making. By staying alert to God’s blessings in the moment it is tough to not feel the joy God delights in giving us.
The problem is that we are looking towards future things we are waiting for God to do in our lives instead of claiming the good things in the moment. ‘Loving a moment doesn’t remove the pain, but it does make room for joy. Living in the moment helps us recognize that God can be found in this moment, whether it contains joy or sorrow.’ Choose Joy, Kay Warren.
‘…make the most of every opportunity…’ Eph. 5:16.
PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
Reader Count & Comments
Date
I was feeling a bit low this morning and this article of yours has helped refreshing my thoughts. Thank you for sharing.
The opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com. This is especially true with articles that
deal with personal healthcare and prophecy. We encourage the reader to make their own decision in consultation with God, His Word, and others as needed.
This article has been read 651 times < Previous | Next >
Read more articles by Brenda Emmons or search for other articles by topic below.
This article has been read 651 times < Previous | Next >
Search for articles on: (e.g. creation; holiness etc.)
Read more by clicking on a link:Free Reprints
Main Site Articles
Most Read Articles
Highly Acclaimed Challenge Articles.
New Release Christian Books for Free for a Simple Review.
NEW - Surprise Me With an Article - Click here for a random URL
God is Not Against You - He Came on an All Out Rescue Mission to Save You
...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them... 2 Cor 5:19
Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38
LEARN & TRUST JESUS HERE
FaithWriters offers Christian reading material for Christian readers. We offer Christian articles, Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction, Christian Bible studies, Christian poems, Christian articles for sale, free use Christian articles, Christian living articles, New Covenant Christian Bible Studies, Christian magazine articles and new Christian articles. We write for Jesus about God, the Bible, salvation, prayer and the word of God.