Thanksgiving

Throughout the last decade, mental health professionals have urged people to establish thankfulness or gratitude part of their regular routine. A brief search on Google for “mental health and gratitude” results in 58,000,000 websites. The websites are from medical schools, universities, ministries, therapist and countless people who have benefited from the regular practice of giving thanks. Harvard Health lists a paper: “Giving thanks can make you happier.” (https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier) I want to let you in on a little secret. Gratitude is not a new idea for mental health. Gratitude is a foundational spiritual practices followers of Jesus are instructed to practice. “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT) “Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:7 (NLT) “Let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. … And always be thankful.” Colossians 3:15 (NLT) “Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.” Hebrews 12:28 (NLT) “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT) This week we celebrate Thanksgiving. Amid feasting on turkey, dressing, ham and pie, take a few minutes to thank God for the blessings and the trials. Blessings are wonderful, and trials strengthen us. Thank Him for both. BUT, But, but … Make giving thanks a part of your daily routine. Thank God for the little, the big and the trying. It will bring a new level of peace into your life. Peace “which exceeds anything we can understand.”

Though He Falls, He Will Not Be Overwhelmed

I’ve recently been thinking about a song I learned early on my journey of following Jesus. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord … though he fall, though he fall, he shall not be cast down.” The lyrics are taken from Psalm 37. “A man’s steps are established by the LORD, and He takes pleasure in his way. Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, because the LORD holds his hand.” Psalms 37:23-24 (HCSB) I frequently tear up when I see videos or read stories of a runner who stumbles or falls and gets back up and finishes the race. These stories illustrate the Psalmist’s word in Psalm 37. Every follower of Jesus has tripped and even fallen. The promise of the Psalm is that even when a Jesus follower falls, he will not be overwhelmed. She might have some “road rash” and pain, but she’s not out of the race. I also tear up when I see videos or read stories of someone coming to the aid of a struggling runner. Maybe they pick the racer up and help them to the finish line or run alongside the struggler and offer words of encouragement. Isn’t that how followers of Jesus are called to respond? To pick up a fellow runner and run alongside them in the tough part of the journey? The Psalmist said “he will not be overwhelmed, because the LORD holds his hand.” Every runner has fallen either in training or in an event. Most runners (I wanted to say ALL but that would be exagerating) get up when they fall, brush off the dust and gravel, and get back to running. Every runner has also been helped by a fellow runner and if they are worth anything have helped other runners. I wish I could say the same for every Jesus follower! Some followers have tripped and fallen and then stayed down. Other followers have watched fellow followers struggle and looked the other way. We can do better! If you recently stumbled, get up and put one foot in-front of the other. If you’ve looked the other way when a fellow follower is struggling to get up and continue, don’t do it again! Help the struggling follower. Help her finish the race. “Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith…” Hebrews 12:1-2 (HCSB)