Friday, October 17, 2008

How's life?


Sometimes it sucks, even if I don't have any good complaints. You just don't feel like thanking God or anyone. The reality is: what you're looking for (happiness) is not so hard to find, if you look in the right place---spiritually, that would be in God's word.

For example, 1Thessalonians 5:16-18 says,
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
We can all find reasons to complain: The economy isn't good, the kids are disrespectful, the spouse is being difficult, my ankle is getting worse, ants are taking over my house, I have too much to do, my friends don't write--you get the idea. In these times, to be joyful always is an outright chore. To pray at all is hard enough.

But at the moment, giving thanks is easy. I still have a job, my kids are pretty decent, the ants aren't the biting kind and I have a faithful wife. So by reflecting on what I do have, I can find something to be thankful for. Giving thanks gives rise to prayer, and prayer to praise. Buy one, get three!

Why didn't someone teach me this when I was a teenager?! Maybe they tried. It helps to just stop here and write down a little each day, especially when I forget the things I'm supposed to already know.

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