Category: see the good

God can help us to see behind the bad

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Sometimes we seem to be handed one problem after the other. People often say that problems come in threes. Sometimes there are more than that. Handling things that set us back can be anywhere from distressing to heartbreaking.

After many things go wrong we and feel defeated. After they have long passed we may begin to see them differently. Somewhere in the midst of it there may have been a grain of good. Somehow a secret blessing may be found in all the bad.

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I think God helps us to find those blessings hidden in the things we go through. He somehow turns our eyes in a different direction and points lets us see from a different perspective. Sometimes trials can bring blessings.

The peace of God

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The world is a scary place. Even more so now. People are frightened of catching this new virus. In reality, so am I. My husband and I are in a vulnerable part of the population being older.

The truth is we can’t spend all of our time being afraid. Things happen every day and something that goes wrong may have nothing to do with Corona Virus. We have to keep our perspective. God has promised to be with us not matter what. We need to spend our time focusing on good things and not spend our time in fear. God’s peace with uphold us.

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“Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and heard from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8-9).

What if?

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Matthew 22:36-40 [Full Chapter].

36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[c] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

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If only we could live out these two commandments. How much is it to ask? There are no lists of do’s and don’ts just two simple statements. However, for us flawed humans they are the hardest things to do. If only the whole world could live this way!

Light/Darkness

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light shines

 

When it is dark enough, you can see the stars.   Charles A. Beard

This quote reminds me of one from my journal of saved quotes.

Now that my house has burned down I can see the moon more clearly.  From the movie Hiroshima

Both of these quotes remind us that light penetrates darkness. In the worst of times there is hope.

Plant seeds

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Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.     Robert Louis Stevenson

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 A lot of times I hear people say: “I prayed for my friend and nothing happened.” “I tried to talk to someone about God but it didn’t change anything.” That may be what we see but we may never know the final result. It is amazing years later to have someone say: “you helped me when I was down.” We need to keep on spreading those seeds.

 

Prayer: Loving Jesus, you know that we have become self conscious talking about you to others. We feel uncomfortable and usually can’t see any result. Remind us to spread the seed and let you do the rest. Amen

 

Take up your cross

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If He laid down His life for us, is it not the least we can do to lay down ours for Him? If He bore the cross and died on it for me, ought I not to be willing to take it up for him?                   Dwight Lyman Moody

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What does it mean to “take up the cross?”  He adds “and follow me.” Am I really following him? He loved and related to all people. He ate with tax collectors (who were hated by the people); did not rebuke a woman who was unclean for touching him. He went against the grain for his time. How are we doing?

 

Prayer: Lord Jesus, so many are outcast s in our own time. Even naming them can set us off. Help us to follow you more closely and learn to love even the people we now shun. Amen

 

There is good to come

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Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Quote-The-celebration-of-Advent-is-possibleWe are waiting. Most of the time we don’t wait patiently. We want things to happen now! We are poor examples of your love but we know there is better to come. We have to wait for the goodness that on the way. Spend the time in advent looking forward to the birth of Christ. A blessed baby sent to redeem us and show us how to live each day.

Amazing God, you knew we didn’t understand you and so you sent your son. Thank you. AMEN