Gratitude doesn’t leave room for disappointment

I’m not sure what made me wake up thinking about disappointment, dread and fear. But that’s what was on my mind this morning. I’ve been thinking about gratitude a lot and started a “gratitude journal”. Every day, I write down things for which I’m grateful. A few days ago when it was snowing, I wrote down that I was thankful for heat. The snow changed some plans I had but I thanked God for the beauty of the snow out on my deck. Two nights ago after I hit a deer and killed both the deer and my car I was thankful for God’s protection. I was thankful for air bags and my neighbor who stopped to comfort me and go tell my husband and finally for my husband who came and helped me. Today, I’m thankful for car insurance that pays for a rental car to get me to and from work and anywhere else I need to go. I’m thankful for that little green Kia Soul I’m driving that makes me laugh every time I think about those hamsters in the commercials. Oh, the thanks goes on and on. My little gratitude journal is filling up.

Hmmm….. It seems gratitude doesn’t leave much room for disappointment, dread or fear. I’m reminded of a scripture, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”. 1 Thes 5:16-18. It’s not just a helpful tip to get me through rough times, it’s His will for my life. Well no wonder it works!!

Now, I’ll admit, hitting the deer wasn’t a terribly dreadful circumstance compared to some I’ve experienced. But the principle is still the same regardless the circumstance.

Gratitude doesn’t leave much room for disappointment, dread or fear.

So often we struggle to make life what we want it to be. To obtain all that we desire.

We have a picture in our mind of what our life should be. We have a picture of what will make us happy. We may even have an idea of what we deserve.

We struggle and fret to obtain those things or circumstances that complete that picture in our mind of how our life should be. When that perfect picture is blurred or ripped to shreds we are left with anxiety, fear, anger or disappointment.

What if we just relaxed in acceptance that what is happening right now was God’s will and trusted that it was all for good? How peaceful would it be to just relax in God’s promises. To breathe in God’s promises and exhale our trust. What if we closed our eyes and just simply said God I will trust your plan.

What if we went even further and thanked God for our circumstances? If we could see our circumstances as a gift from God then we could experience joy in the midst of our circumstances no matter how bad they may seem.

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” 1 Thes 5:16-18.

If you’re struggling with this today, consider asking God to help you see the life He wants for you; to be thankful for the life you have been given.

Let’s surrender this day together.

Lord, I am going to relax in your promises. I accept what you give me today with gratitude. I accept and give thanks for my life just as it is today. Help me to see you have a bigger picture that I cannot begin to grasp right now. Help me to seek you in all that I do. Help me to see your work in everything that comes my way whether I see it to be good or bad. Help me to take this one day and live it to the fullest not focusing on the past or future. Although I don’t know Your will, help me to seek it and relax; trusting in your promises.

What are you thankful for today?

 

Love God; Love Neighbor….. And Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

“I am convinced that men hate each other because they fear each other. They fear each other because they don’t know each other, and they don’t know each other because they don’t communicate with each other, and they don’t communicate with each other because they are separated from each other.”         ~ Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. said these words in a speech in 1962 at Cornell College in Mount Vernon Iowa. I read this speech this morning and was compelled to know more about him. I wanted to read more. If he were alive today, I would very much want to hear him speak. I would very much like to meet him. I would want to get to know him.

I didn’t hear hate in his speech. I heard reality. I heard wisdom. I heard love. The Bible says that God commands us to: Love God and Love Neighbor (Matt 22:36-40). There is no room for hate in those first two commandments.

I thought a lot about his words this morning. The end of that quote says “because they are separated from each other”. Today, the only reason we are separated is because we separate ourselves. Today, I still see hate in people’s faces, I hear hate in people’s speech and tone of voice. I see hate in people’s actions.

I see hate because people believe differently. I see hate because people worship differently. I see hate because people have different political views. And sadly, I still see hate because of the difference in skin color.

I love the Reverend’s description of love in this speech:

“Now when I talk about love, I’m not talking about emotional bosh; I’m not talking about some weak, sentimental something; I’m talking about something that is active good will, not just a passive, dead something………There are three words in the Greek language for love. One is the word eros. Eros is a sort of aesthetic love…..Then the Greek language talks about philio, which is another level of love. It is a sort of intimate affection between personal friends…….The Greek language came out with another word. It is the word agape. Agape is more than aesthetic or romantic love. Agape is more than friendship. Agape is creative, redemptive good for all men. It is an overflowing love which seeks nothing in return. Theologians would say that it is the love of God operating in the human heart, and when one rises to love on this level, he loves every man, not because he likes that particular person, but because God loves him, and he rises to the level of loving the person who does the evil deed, while hating the deed that the person does. And I think this is what Jesus meant when he said, “Love your enemies,” and I’m happy that he didn’t say Like your enemies,” because it’s pretty difficult to like some people. ……but Jesus says, love them, and “love” is greater than “like”. “Love” is understanding, creative good will, for all men, and I believe firmly that it is this kind of love that will lead us on through this period of transition, and make it possible for us to achieve the real society of brotherhood”.

I think the question for me and all of us today is what step can we take to break down the walls that still separate us today. What can we do to spread agape love and make a dint in the hate in this world? What can we do to teach our generation and the next generation how to love like God commands?

Is it taking the time to get to know someone and understand your differences? Is it showing little acts of kindness to people you encounter; to people you don’t like or who have wronged you? Is it learning something new which might help you have a different perspective? Is it looking at or challenging a belief that might be holding you back from loving others? Is it stopping a bad habit that might be offensive to someone else? Is it asking God to forgive you for those past thoughts or comments that were thought or spoken out of ignorance? Is it forgiving someone who hurt you out of their ignorance? Is it going to God and asking Him to help you learn “agape” love or to remove that tiny bit (or large chunk) of hate or resentment that’s lingering in your heart?

There are many things that I can do personally. But, I believe today, I will start by reading quite a bit more of what Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. had to say while he was alive. What is it that you can do today? Whatever it may be, now is a great time to take that next step.

PCunningham

 

To read a copy of the transcript of the entire speech, follow the link below:

http://news.cornellcollege.edu/dr-martin-luther-kings-visit-to-cornell-college/

 

 

 

Don’t You Give Up

 

I have a problem. I can’t throw things away. I also can’t stand to see other people throw things away. I just can’t give up on that old broken relic. I drive by a piece of furniture that someone has placed on the side of the road and imagine the old piece of trash repurposed into something beautiful and useful. I imagine what it would look like sanded down with a new coat of paint or stain. Maybe I would remove a few broken pieces and put on a few new ones. I would keep working until it was beautiful again.

“Don’t you give up on a miracle. You’ve got to speak to the impossible, oh you’ve got to pray till you break through breaks through the ceiling keep on believing, don’t you give up, don’t you give up on a miracle”.

Listening to this song on the way to work this morning for some reason I pictured myself as that thrown out piece of furniture laying on the side of the road, dirty and broken. I thought about how God sees us with all our flaws and brokenness. How He loves us and sees our beauty and potential buried under the layers of dirt and stains of sin. It made me think of the miracle of a changed life and how I’m so glad God didn’t give up on me. He could have thrown me out with the trash but He picked me up and brushed me off, cleaned me up and gave me a new purpose.

“Don’t you give up on a miracle”.

Don’t you give up on that son or daughter, husband or friend that is broken from the effects of addiction or consequences of sin and poor choices. Don’t you give up on the one that’s worn out from running from God. Don’t you give up on yourself. Don’t you give up on that miracle!

If God can part the red sea, make a barren woman pregnant and a virgin conceive, not to mention create the world, the wind and the rain and me and you; if he can pick up this broken woman once covered in dirt and trash and turn her into something beautiful with a new purpose; he can take that “impossible” you are struggling with right now and turn it into the “possible” you can’t even begin to imagine.

Do you have a miracle you’ve given up on? Do you have an impossible you need to keep praying for? Let me know if you want me to join in praying with you for that miracle.

Keep praying, keep believing because with God nothing is impossible (Luke 1:37).

 

No Title: And that’s okay!

I sit here trying hard to find something to write. Trying to come up with a catchy title for today’s blog. I really want to write something that people will enjoy.  I try hard. And then it hits me. You’re trying. What have you learned about trying? Stop trying and listen. Just let it happen.

Life is like that. I can either try on my own might to do something or I can choose to pray, and wait and listen. It’s my choice. Yes, God gives us the choice. Oh, I’ve done much on my own might. I’ve chosen to go Rogue and take life on my own. Remember that time…. Yep, I remember clearly.  Didn’t work out so well. And all the other times……. I don’t even want to talk about it.

I hear scripture lightly whisper into my heart and mind, “Wait on the Lord”. “Ask and it shall be given” “Seek and you shall find”.  I hear but do I listen?

Let’s be honest. How many times just today, did you struggle with something and not even consider going to God in prayer asking Him for help or asking Him what He wanted you to do? No, instead we worry and fret. We think until our head wants to explode. We write down plans and then scribble them out. We start over. We push and push to come up with a solution that pleases us.

“Wait on the Lord”. “Ask and it shall be given” “Seek and you shall find”.

Let’s be honest again. We don’t like to wait. We don’t like “No”. We want what we want when we want it. We don’t want to surrender control of even the smallest things.

There’s that “title” thing again. I don’t have a catchy title. I’ve scribbled and thought and scribbled some more. But God, what about the “title”? Still nothing. Hmm…  

“Wait on the Lord”.  “Ask and it shall be given” “Seek and you shall find”.

I challenge you today to surrender all those struggles to God. The little ones, the big ones. Ask Him, He is waiting. Don’t be afraid to wait. Give it to God and relax in the peace while waiting.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:6-7)

 

The Best Part of Waking Up

I remember a commercial that had the catchy little phrase, “The best part of waking up….is Folger’s in your cup!”. Well, I don’t know about you, but I don’t drink coffee so it never really meant much to me. But it’s a catchy tune and for some reason this morning it came to mind.

My mom tells a story of how I used to wake up in the morning, ready to go, with a smile on my face saying, “What are we going to do today?”. I vaguely remember those days when I woke up energized and excited about the day. Somewhere along the way, I was robbed of that morning joy. That joy was replaced by a dread and anxiety that weighed me down.

Getting up this morning was tough. It was my first day back after an amazing 10 days off from work. I turned on the news and it was all negative. There are some really scary things going on in our world these days. It’s an evil world we live in. For a second there, I let that fear start to creep in like years ago. But I remembered Satan likes us to fear; Satan likes us to worry about the future; Satan loves to steal our joy. I immediately knew what I needed to do. I had to turn all that fear over to God like he taught me. I had to run to Him. I stopped right there and prayed for my day.

The Bible says don’t worry about tomorrow (Matthew 6:34). It gives me hope for the future.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jer 29:11-13)

There is no need to fear the day ahead or tomorrow or next year. I don’t have to let Satan steal my joy. The best way to tackle this day and ward off Satan’s attack is to start it off with prayer and scripture. Seek God with all my heart. And that’s exactly what I did.

Lord, help me to turn to you first when fear creeps in. Help me to give all my fear and anxiety to you. I come to you this morning giving you my day. Help me to tackle everything that comes knowing you are with me every step I take. Help me to come to you with thanksgiving for the good and the bad. I thank you for the trials that are making me totally dependent on you. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

 So thankful the best part of my waking up has nothing to do with coffee and everything to do with God.

Let’s do this!!

 

2018: New Beginnings

Well, here goes. I’m finally starting the blog that I’ve thought about for quite some time. I’m excited to have you join me on my journey of Surrender. God has supernaturally transformed my heart and my life and i love to write about things he has done, things i have learned and how I face struggles today with His help.  I’m just a real person with real struggles just like you. I hope you find encouragement here in struggles you may be facing today. God is good folks! He is a God of love, a God of grace and a God of transformation. There is nothing God cannot do!! And if you don’t already know Him personally, I pray you find God here. I would love to tell you about Him!

I am still so amazed at the changes He is making in me. Changes that I know without a doubt I could never have done on my own. The fact is I tried. I tried to change me. I wanted so badly to change me. But it doesn’t work like that. The moment I let go of the reins, the moment I truly surrendered my control, He was able to get to work on me. The old me gradually was transformed into a beautiful new me. Praise God for that!

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)

I can’t wait to see how God uses this blog. I will be praying with each post. 

Happy New Year to all! 

Paula