Living In Gratitude

 By: Grace Metzger

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭18

Recently I spoke with someone I’ve known for a few years. This is a man who’s complained about his job every single day since I’ve met him. At the moment he’s been on medical leave for almost a month. And today, I gotta hear this man say that he’s become grateful for his job since being away from me. After the conversation, I thought to myself, how can this man only realize his gratitude after being away from it? Why did he have to go through something awful in order to see the goodness that is in his job? As I was thinking this, I felt God start to shame me a little bit because I was judging this man so harshly for not being grateful for his job when I myself, I’ve been complaining about my job all week. I started to think about how I’m never grateful for anything until I lose it. I think it’s a real common fact in the world today we don’t realize what we have until it’s gone. 

This might surprise people, but I am a very negative person. My mind focuses on the bad things more often. So after I felt a shame from God, I decided that every morning for two weeks straight I was going to write down one thing I was grateful for. At first so easy I was grateful for my family, my home, food on my table, etc. After a bit, I had some difficulties finding things to be grateful for, but when I realized that I was becoming more intentional and looking for things to be grateful for it. I realize that my day started having a more positive outlook.

It’s very easy in the world today to become a negative person, everyone thinks that they have a worst life and that everything constantly goes wrong. But when we start looking for the positives in our life, we realize we have so many things to be thankful for. God is blessing in our life every single day, but we can’t see it because we are focused more on complaining. 

giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭20‬ ‭ESV‬‬

I think of it like the Israelites they were led out of Egypt and instead of focusing on that amazing thing, they decided complain and cry that they didn’t have the comforts that they wanted. Are we living our life like this the Israelites? Are we so focused on the small things that we miss ginormous blessings that God is giving us every single day? Are we too busy complaining to God to thank him for what he’s doing in our life?

This week I challenge you every single morning to find one thing you’re thankful for. You’ll start noticing a difference in your life. Instead of complaining to God 24/7 now you’re focused on giving Him thanks and praising His glory grace to you. 

Discussion question: how are you incorporating thankfulness into your daily life?

The Power of Music

By: Jenifer Metzger

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly
as you teach and admonish one another with all
wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from
the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

Colossians 3:16

When I was in elementary school, there was a rumor going around the school that had me quite shaken. The more I heard kids talk about it, the more afraid I became. Soon, the fear was affecting my sleep. I remember one night I told my mom I was scared. Mom prayed with me, then she told me to listen to my “Jesus music” as I fell asleep. My Jesus music was cassette tapes of children’s worship. So we popped in a tape and the books of the Bible being sung to a rhythmic tune filled my room. Soon I was able to drift off to sleep.

Music is all over the Bible. The book of Psalm is full of King David’s praise songs to God. Psalm 105:2 even says, “Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts.” When we sing worship to God, we are ushering His presence in.

Just as it is impossible for light and darkness to coexist, it is impossible to be full of worry, fear, doubt, anxiety, or depression as we are singing and lifting our hands in worship to God. When we praise God, He is there. Right beside us, lavishing in our worship to Him.

Excerpt taken from my book, 5-Minute Devotions for Worry. This 66 day devotional shares my personal story of battling depression and invites you to walk a journey to healing. To check it out, click HERE.

Discussion:
1. Today using your favorite music streaming platform, create a playlist of worship songs. Share a few of your songs in the comments for others to enjoy.
2. Think of a time you were struggling and heard a worship song. Did you feel the presence of God? 

Stand Firm

By: Joanne Viola 

Reading and/or watching the news unfold has been quite disheartening. Truth be known, it has been that way for a long time.

The commentary in my Bible refers to it as “the character of the age” (from the Scofield Bible).

Wars, international unrest, earthquakes, lawlessness, and cold hearts are indicators which were prophesied by Jesus Himself. All one needs to do is read Matthew 24.

In reading Ecclesiastes 3 recently in light of current events, I realized what is happening in our country, and world, has always been occurring. Sadly, It isn’t new.

Injustice. Evil activities. They have been present in our society down through the ages because of the fallen nature of mankind.

This is why we need God, the gospel, a Savior, and God’s Word every single day.

Only in Him and in His Word will we find hope, wisdom, and salvation to navigate these days in which we are living.

We need to be aware of our limited knowledge and understanding so that we rely on God to make all things right. We are not like Superman [Superwoman] possessing x-ray vision to see all things. But God, who sees everything, will one day make all things right. Every wrong will be made right. Cling to God’s Word, to His many promises, to His faithfulness.

“But the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
(Matthew 24:13, NIV)

We can have peace in our hearts as we are assured
God has the whole world in His hands.
May we hold onto the hope that our God holds the entire story.

“This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.”
(Hebrews 6:19, NLT)

 

Reflection:
How do you maintain peace and find hope in uncertain days? Share a Scripture that fills your heart and mind and keeps you standing firm.

 

Image by Ales Krivec from Pixabay

 

Whose Side Are You On?

 By: Lauren Thomas 

Scripture clearly teaches us that Jesus is our victorious rescuer and redeemer, that God fights our battles, that He is for us in Christ (Romans 8:31). But sometimes, I wonder if we have something backwards about this.

Before the epic fall of Jericho in Joshua 6, a new leader had taken Moses’ place in leading the people of Israel into the Promised Land: Joshua. God had only performed one miracle through this new leader, compared to the many that God had worked through Moses. And now that the people of Israel stood on this side of the Jordan, Joshua must have felt lots of pressure and anxiety. He had to lead an untrained army against fortified cities and deliver God’s promised land to God’s people.

 

One day, likely feeling all this pressure and stress, he was surveying the city of Jericho from afar, when he looked and noticed a man with a drawn sword.

 

Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” ¹⁴ And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.”

Joshua 5:13b-14a ESV

 

An interesting answer. Interesting, in that it turned the question around on Joshua: whose side are you on?

 

Joshua’s response was to fall on his face in worship.

 

Then he asked,” “What does my lord say to his servant?” The commander of the Lord’s armies told Joshua to take off his sandals, a signal and symbol of recognition: that this place of confrontation was holy, because God was there.  

 

I’ve listened to people ask, “why is God doing this to me? Why is God testing me? What is God trying to teach me?” They ask these questions because their life doesn’t look the way they want it to. They feel that God is being mean to them. They shake their fist at God and ask Him, “whose side are you on anyway?”

 

But what if the real question is “whose side are we on?”? God isn’t interested in being a means to our end. He’s not interested in giving us constant personal victories. What he cares about is that we, 1) like Joshua decide whose side we are on, 2) that we give Him His due worship, 3) that we recognize His place of holiness in our lives.

 

I like to think that Joshua’s encounter in Joshua 5 was a watershed moment. For, later in his life, Joshua said, “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). He learned a valuable lesson in that holy confrontation, when his question was turned back on himself.

 

It is a holy confrontation which shows us God is sovereign and which changes our perspective. When we choose to be on God’s side, what we previously thought were our battles might not seem so important anymore. Instead, we choose to keep our eyes on the Lord and fight the battles He commissions us to fight. And He will give us victory.

 

Reflection:

What battles are you facing? Why do you want to win these battles? Are your eyes on the battle or on the Lord? If you’ve been asking God whose side He is on, maybe it’s time to tell God whose side YOU are on.

 

 

Not On The Cross

 By: Grace Metzger

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery
trial when it comes upon you to test you, 
as though something strange were happening
to you. But rejoice insofar as you share

 Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice
and be glad when His glory is revealed.

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The other day as I was doing my doom scrolling on TikTok, yes I’m aware of how bad of a habit that is, when I came across a TikTok. Normally with my ruined intention span I can only watch them for a few seconds before I turn off, but something about this one captivated my attention. It made me want to watch the whole thing. She was going on about different things she’s heard other pastors share. One thing she shared is people are always complaining about how life isn’t fair, but if life was fair that you’d be hanging on the cross. I won’t lie I like that video and then I turned off the app and stared at the wall for 10 minutes. I too have been known to complain about how life is unfair, been so focused on the woe is me. I’ve never once considered how unfair it was that I’m not hanging on the cross.

After staring at the wall for what felt like an eternity, I opened up my Bible and started reading about Jesus right before His death. I don’t believe that Jesus was looking forward to the cross. I believe that He was happy that we were going to be saved. But the actual physical part, I think no one could look forward to. The description in the Bible talks about Him being stripped, beaten, etc. It’s so awful that His own mother didn’t even recognize Him at the end of it. Yet Jesus did that for us.

I think about how often I complain, I’ve mentioned before I consider the act of complaining a hobby. I think about every time I get upset and pray to God why me? Why do I have to go through this? Yet have I ever considered it a blessing that this is all I’m going through. The worst thing in my life is a small amount of physical pain or losing a loved one even though I’ll see them in heaven soon. What hurt Jesus was becoming human, being betrayed, being mocked, being beaten, and so much more. How blessed am I that life isn’t fair? How lucky am I that God has mercy on my soul.

For all have sinned and fall
short of the glory of God.

‭‭Romans‬ ‭3‬:‭23‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The Bible warns us that the wages of sin is death. We are all sinners, even you and me, yet because life isn’t fair we don’t have to die. Instead we get this beautiful eternal life with God. How often do we acknowledge the blessing of God’s grace and kindness towards us? How have we been incorporating that thankfulness towards Him into our lives? I challenge you this week that every time you feel like complaining or whining instead you take a breath and thank God that He has mercy on you, thank Him that you’re not on the cross. 

Discussion question: How have you been incorporating thankfulness into your walk with God lately?