Choosing To Be Grateful --Receiving An Abundant Life

It took me a long time to understand how God could say choose gratitude in all circumstances.  I remember when Charles passed away, I was not grateful.  I was now alone, had super big decisions to make, a ton of things to learn that Charles always took care of and it scared me silly.  This was by far the biggest heartache and challenge I’d ever had to face.  How could I be thankful when life just hurts?

Someone pointed out to me —it doesn’t say be grateful for the circumstance; it says be grateful in the circumstance

LIFE IS HARD

When we choose to be grateful, we aren’t choosing to pretend life is perfect.  Life is hard, sometimes daily.  Who has a perfect life?  We none do.  Challenges come from all sides.  

We can be faced with relational challenges, financial uncertainty due to a lost job, health issues that have upended us, emotional hurdles just trying to stay grounded, and the list could go on and on.

WHAT DO WE CLING TO?

As we face all these situations, we each are required to find something to cling to. Otherwise depression and despair will move in and further burden us with more than we can bear.

When we are choosing to be grateful in the circumstance, we are looking beyond how we feel, and instead look outward and upward to a connection with the greatest link to life that exists!  Even if we feel spiritually dry and disconnected from God, he will meet us where we are.

TAKING OUR EYES OFF OURSELVES

This perspective takes our eyes off ourselves and turns them toward God where life can be lived with a measure of peace that cannot be found elsewhere. That’s a reason to be grateful!

SO MANY BLESSINGS

I know when I’m particularly ‘down’, it doesn’t take long to look around me and see plenty of reasons to say thank you!  Even in my darkest hour, God was with me and remains so every single day!  I can look at the beautiful green landscape out my window and know that life is beginning again after a hard winter.  

I can go outdoors and stand in the sunshine and feel the gentle warmth caressing my skin, see the birds and squirrels flitting about and see the occasional turkey in the yard, a young fox that is so beautiful, or chickens which provides eggs for our family.

As my cat comes near and rubs his soft fur on my legs I know that in his unique way, he cares for me.

FAMILY IS ALSO AMAZING

And more than any animal, I know I have children and grandchildren who care for me.  There’s food on my table, water in my well, heat when the day is cool and air conditioning when it’s too humid to enjoy summer.

When I think about all I have, even in my deepest loss, I know I still live the abundant life.  I know this because the most valuable possession I own is the salvation I received when I accepted Christ as my Savior.  No one can take that from me.  In this frame of mind, I consider myself rich!  It’s a gift which has limitless value.

CHOOSE GOD

By choosing to see God… right in the middle of an imperfect world and circumstance— I am choosing to live the abundant life.  It isn’t a forced life, it just flows, even if imperfectly!  I am grateful!

Photo Credit: Gratitude 

Does Our 'Stuff' Qualify As Abundant Living?

I look around my home and see so much ‘stuff.’  We’ve lived in the same place for almost 50 years, and because we haven’t moved, we’ve never had reason to get rid of anything.  Accumulation happens!  And before you turn around, you find yourself trying to figure out where it all came from, and what in the world are we going to do with all?

HARD CHOICES

Of course, for me, as a new widow, the problem is compounded by deciding what must go and what should stay from only ‘my’ perspective.  It sounds like it should be easy.  But somehow even as I go through those items that were Charles’ there are times it was/is a hard choice.

Many items meant so much to him.  They were his collections and things he enjoyed having.  And what should go to the kids/grandkids, and other issues that run through my head and heart!?  Even to the point of asking, ‘Am I betraying him if I get rid of this?’  I realize that may sound bizarre, but for me it matters!

LIVING THE ABUNDANT LIFE

The Bible speaks about God giving us the ‘abundant life.’  (See John 10:10) And for many that means being able to have all the material goods possible, that can affect our happiness in the smallest way.  

But God isn’t talking about ‘material goods’ for abundant living!  Abundance Biblically, is talking about what begins ‘within us’ —not what we have around us!  For some that’s a hard concept!  True abundance comes from a heart that knows Him.

WHAT MATTERS?

Material goods are nice, but they are man made.  There is nothing man made that we can take with us when we pass from this Earth.  Every item on that list stays here and ultimately doesn’t matter.  

What’s more those ‘things’ we cherish here on Earth, are cold and empty when we find ourselves alone and sad.  They offer no comfort, give no counsel, and extend no hope.  They are just cold, man made things on a shelf, and totally dependent on you to even make them work!

EVERYONE HAS PROBLEMS

Our lives are not easy, it doesn’t matter who you are!  Even the person who has millions of dollars has problems.  It’s the way of this world.  We all have emotions, relationships that work —or not, feelings we can’t ignore, health issues,  work place problems and more, which create havoc in any person’s life.  And ultimately, we all face death.  None of the ‘stuff’ we accumulated can help us at that point.

Sometimes when life is going at full speed and everything seems just right, we equate abundance to our circumstances…. ‘This is a life well-lived!  I’ve got it all!”, etc.    But then there’s an accident, the loss of a loved one, a disaster that wipes out everything we own, health issues which crush us….and a hundred other things.  Our immediate successes are turned into chaos.  How do we deal?

Suddenly we are feeling oppressed, abused and upended, fighting depression and a thousand questions about what’s going to happen next.  Everything we’ve put our faith and trust in, has collapsed!  It happens to everyone at one time or another, at some level.

CHRIST'S PRESENCE

Christ’s presence is where we find abundant living; not a full calendar or even a lot of stuff or people.  A relationship with Christ, which completely turns our world around, is where abundance begins.

When we align with Him, our hearts, minds and souls find peace —and a joy that can’t be defined.  He gives us purpose and a reason every day, to be thankful for waking up in the morning and praising Him!

Photo Credit: Too Much Stuff

Living A Life That Reflects Christ

The Walton’s is probably my all time favorite TV show.  I enjoy the slow pace, the family dynamics and wholesomeness that permeates the show. While it was a ’70’s show, it lasted many seasons and is now available on DVD’s.  I have those DVD’s and most nights will treat myself to at least one episode.

NOT WANTING TO BE CAUGHT

There is a faith element within the show that is certainly a plus.  But I get tickled every time Olivia or Grandma do something they are worried their preacher will catch them doing.  The time Olivia went into the Dew Drop Inn which was against all her moral behaviors.  Or Grandma when she placed a bet with Grandpa during a horse race.

The last thing these ladies wanted to be caught doing, was something they— and the Pastor or church would disapprove of.  Yet, occasionally they both did.  I suspect we are all guilty of that every now and again.  The fascinating thing about that is, even if we hide our ‘inappropriate behavior or actions’ from our peers—whoever they may be, God still sees.  It’s Him we need to be concerned about!

GROWING IN OUR FAITH

Growing in our faith isn’t about getting everything right, every time. We’re human and inevitably we’re going to fail.  That alone can scare new believers into not believing they are truly a child of God.  Their past haunts them and they are sure that if they don’t do all things exactly right, God won’t accept them anymore. They believe they’ve disqualified their faith experience.

INCONSISTENT HABITS

Sometimes it has more to do with inconsistent spiritual habits, or feeling like a hypocrite, because we’ve done something God wouldn’t approve of.  It may be words that come out of our mouth or swirl in our heads (even when unsaid), actions we’ve made when responding in anger, anger in itself when filled with hate because it’s the way we’ve always felt about someone or something.  

All of these negative pieces is right where God can teach us.  It’s about learning to align our actions with our beliefs.  If we learn to recognize our mistakes—even our inconsistencies, the Holy Spirit is right there to nudge us in the right direction.  Sometimes a verse will come to mind or even a subconscious conviction.  That’s growth.  That’s listening to the Holy Spirit talking to our hearts!

WE ALL FAIL

What’s interesting though is realizing we will fail-- again.  I have one amazing friend who does a lot of traveling because of work.  There are times he confesses to getting hung up in traffic and getting beyond frustrated.  It’s so bad he says things he knows he shouldn’t.  Then he says, ‘Yeah, I had to talk with God again.  I messed up and said things I had to repent of!” 

WE ALL HAVE WEAKNESSES

We all have our weaknesses.  We struggle to apply what we know and believe  every day of our life.  Satan is waiting to pounce on us every time we make a move that to him, makes us vulnerable.  He uses it, twists its, and keeps telling us lies, to our heads (and hearts) until we feel like there’s no going back.  How can God possibly keep forgiving me when I keep messing up?

OUR HEART’S DESIRE

We’re human.  But as a Christian, it’s our heart’s desire to please God, yet we each fail in our own ways.  Only Jesus led a sinless life on earth.  It’s absolutely necessary for each of us to be accountable for where we fail; become humble before Him and confess.  Then go out and try to do our best again,—-and again, — and again!

KEEP TRYING

God is a loving, patient and kind God.  All those times we keep trying, and fail—repenting, then asking for His help, we are still trying ----and that’s what God wants to see, and will honor that.  He knows we are still growing!

Photo Credit: Christian Growth Process