I am extremely blessed. I have a fabulous family, the best friends anyone could ask for, beautiful mountains to live in, security in Christ, the love of my Father, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, everything that I NEED provided for and so many more extras. Right now it is snowing outside. I went out to change out my laundry and felt like I was walking in a fairytale snowglobe (does that even exist?). How awesome is that?!
I'm not meaning to sound prideful at all, really. I need to remind myself of the blessings I've received daily. It's like the old hymn "Count Your Blessings." The familiar words in that song ring ever so true. When we begin to think on our blessings, on the things that the Lord has given us that we could never begin to deserve, the problems of the day seem to get smaller and smaller. When we praise the Lord and give Him thanks and worship Him and focus on Him instead of ourselves, that is when we find true freedom and peace in the midst of strife and trials.
It seems much more natural to focus on ourselves. That's what the current culture is all about right? "Do what feels right to YOU. Do what's good for YOU. Find happiness inside of YOU. Life is all about YOU. You deserve the very best." No, sorry, I actually deserve DEATH, but through Christ's blood I receive everlasting life and life to the full. How depressing it must be to think that you can find true hapiness inside of you without any outside help. There is nothing good inside of me that does not come from Christ.
God also designed us to live in community with each other, with His Body. We're not in this life alone ya know. I mean living IN community with people not living in A community of people. Anyone can live in a community, but to live IN community, in fellowship with other believers is a completely different thing. I've been learning so much about this lately, how God really wants us to share our lives with one another. We're not meant to struggle alone in this world; we're not meant to rejoice alone either. When people know you beyond your surface, beyond that exterior that 98% of the world sees and they still love you and encourage you and want to have a share in what you're going through, that's when you know you're truly beginning to discover the way the Lord designed us to live within the Body. This is not a neat and tidy thing either. It is in fact very messy so much of the time, but it is worth it. God uses us in huge ways in other people's lives. We can be a part of God's blessings. How exciting!
God has a plan. He has a future and a hope for us. He never forsakes us. He is faithful. Let us count our blessings and see what we find!
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:27 (NIV)
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