I relived an ah-ha moment this week. God brought to mind (through a series of my random thoughts) 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. Check it out:
Joy. Prayer. THANKS. Perpetually. God's will. I think I just hit a gold mine. I know I'm dense, but did a light bulb just turn on for anyone else? This is the way of Abundant Life, and complaining, ingratitude and an inactive prayer life are some of the quickest ways that I can think of for The Enemy to get us where He wants us. I stand in a place of conviction and humility before you right now, because this is one of my many areas God seems to constantly be at work in, because it's one of my weakest areas.
I can honestly tell you some of the times I have struggled the hardest with a restless, impatient, anxious spirit were when I was praying, rejoicing and thanking the least. There have been so many different points in my life where I have wasted many of my thoughts and so much time on the wrong things. I could give an example for just about anything that has (at least at some point) become an idol to me. Education. Appearance. Possessions. Career. Marriage. Traveling. Food. Activities and Hobbies. Family and friends. Money. Future Children. Ministry. Health and Weight. Even my dog. (I'm getting real vulnerable here right now. I'm officially going on record and saying my emotional attachment to Baxter is completely pathetic and probably unhealthy.) :) All joking aside though, each of these have been an idol in some way in my life.
How? Because at some point I've expected something from any of those things that should only rightfully be given from God. I've held all of them on pedestals. I've imagined that I will "have arrived" if I can reach a certain accomplishment, get to a certain place, or be otherwise fulfilled in some way by those things. And do you know what that says? Beyond wreaking of ingratitude, it says to God that I don't trust Him. That's telling Him that I actually know what's best for my life, and He's doing it all wrong. It says that obviously, things would be perfect if He would just puzzle piece my life together the way my completely idealistic, limited and selfish little mind has it lined up. I planned my perfectly, and He's just getting in the way. It's the clay talking back to The Potter. It's sin, so much of which is drenched in pride and only wanting what you can't have. (Garden of Eden, anyone?) The things my actions, mindset and attitudes say are all so disgusting that I can't believe I'm actually sharing this.
But God is so gracious and offers a hand out of my disgusting pit, and The Spirit to give me what I need to stay away from falling into it again! So right now, instead of asking questions of what God has in store for me, I choose to rejoice in the fact that God has a perfect plan and spotless track record for revealing that plan. I choose to not focus on what I don't have, but give thanks for what I do. I choose to dream, but refuse to allow the waiting on dreams to drive me to a bitter, anxious and ungrateful place. I choose to find joy in Him. I choose to live in thanks and struggle to live a life of prayer. I choose to allow other peoples problems to become my own, and give to them out of an overflow of thanks and joy for what I've been given.
It really is amazing what a little perspective can do, and it's amazing how so many of the blessings God wants to unleash in our lives are tied together. So here's to continuing the struggle for contentment and fighting that Grass-Is-Greener Syndrome. Here's to the beautiful struggle to live life with a heart that is supernaturally thankful, relentlessly prayerful and undauntedly joyful. Not only will He reveal His individual plans in that place, but it's a place where we can see His much larger plan also.
How? Because at some point I've expected something from any of those things that should only rightfully be given from God. I've held all of them on pedestals. I've imagined that I will "have arrived" if I can reach a certain accomplishment, get to a certain place, or be otherwise fulfilled in some way by those things. And do you know what that says? Beyond wreaking of ingratitude, it says to God that I don't trust Him. That's telling Him that I actually know what's best for my life, and He's doing it all wrong. It says that obviously, things would be perfect if He would just puzzle piece my life together the way my completely idealistic, limited and selfish little mind has it lined up. I planned my perfectly, and He's just getting in the way. It's the clay talking back to The Potter. It's sin, so much of which is drenched in pride and only wanting what you can't have. (Garden of Eden, anyone?) The things my actions, mindset and attitudes say are all so disgusting that I can't believe I'm actually sharing this.
But God is so gracious and offers a hand out of my disgusting pit, and The Spirit to give me what I need to stay away from falling into it again! So right now, instead of asking questions of what God has in store for me, I choose to rejoice in the fact that God has a perfect plan and spotless track record for revealing that plan. I choose to not focus on what I don't have, but give thanks for what I do. I choose to dream, but refuse to allow the waiting on dreams to drive me to a bitter, anxious and ungrateful place. I choose to find joy in Him. I choose to live in thanks and struggle to live a life of prayer. I choose to allow other peoples problems to become my own, and give to them out of an overflow of thanks and joy for what I've been given.
It really is amazing what a little perspective can do, and it's amazing how so many of the blessings God wants to unleash in our lives are tied together. So here's to continuing the struggle for contentment and fighting that Grass-Is-Greener Syndrome. Here's to the beautiful struggle to live life with a heart that is supernaturally thankful, relentlessly prayerful and undauntedly joyful. Not only will He reveal His individual plans in that place, but it's a place where we can see His much larger plan also.
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