Thanksgiving Really does Come First

It started on Halloween; now it’s Christmas music until January.  I don’t hate it. Growing up, the rule was no Christmas music until after Thanksgiving.  I’ve fudged that rule several times over my life for a day here and there.  Basically, I follow the rule that my father laid down when I was a child.  This year, I’ve joined with the rest of the 2020 rebels and I’m filling my home with Christmas music.   I’m anxious for the peace that Christmas heralds.

God recently revealed wisdom and hope as I read again my favorite passage of Scripture, Colossians 3:12-17.    “Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, ¹³ bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive. ¹⁴ Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. ¹⁵ And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

First of all, we who are believers in Christ are chosen, holy and dearly loved.  Those are words I need to hear in the midst of life’s current circumstances.  My spirit is tired, my heart is grieving, the days are full and there is no end in sight.  Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not standing on the cliff of depression, life hasn’t become so overwhelming that I’m giving up, it’s just LIFE.  And I need some peace.  Hearing God whisper that He still chooses me, He still is making me holy, and He still loves me dearly gives my heart a chance to breathe, and rest.

Secondly, God doesn’t ask any action of us that He hasn’t already lived out toward us.  I know I sometimes get caught in the list of behaviors found in verses 12-14.  They become a checklist, so I vow to do better, work harder, and become more aware of others around me.  God opened my eyes to the reality that He has already lived out each of these behaviors toward all of us. His compassion is what led Him to Calvary.  His kindness reaches into our lives and beckons us to find Him.  He humbled Himself and gave up every royal right He had, dying a humiliating death so that our sins would be covered with His righteousness allowing us to enter God’s glorious presence.  He gently leads us, patiently allowing us to make choices that sadden His heart, and then He graciously leads us again. He forgives us over and over and over. He draws us closer to Himself with His overwhelming, incomprehensible love.  He has given us an example, but it’s more than that.  He pours Himself into us, and we are changed forever; He is molding us into His perfect likeness. 

Third, Christ’s peace is to be the determining factor, the over-arching element in how we choose to live.  The Bible states that God’s peace isn’t like the world’s peace (John 14:27).  The world’s peace is conditional, an if-then arrangement.  If you agree with me, than I won’t argue with you.  If you spoil me, then I won’t throw a tantrum.  If you let me do what I want, then I won’t belittle you. God’s peace isn’t like that. God’s Spirit led me to list the areas in my life where His peace was not readily evident in my life, the circumstances where I was struggling, hurting or grieving.  In His compassion and kindness, God whispered for me to go back to the truth that He has chosen me, He has made me holy, and He loves me dearly. As I focused on His truth, my spirit began to rest.  When we focus on our relationship with God above all else, when we center our hearts and minds on all that God gives, when we give ourselves permission to really see God in all His glory and goodness, when we choose to trust who He is, His peace rules over whatever we may be facing

Finally, be thankful.  When I read verse 15, I feel as if being thankful is just tacked on.  I don’t think that’s what Paul meant.  Perhaps it should read, “And identify all the various reasons you have to be thankful.”  We are chosen, holy and dearly loved.  God has treated us with compassion and kindness.  Christ humbled Himself for us, and His grace gently and patiently teaches and leads us every day.  Jesus has provided us complete forgiveness and offers us His own peace.  We have so much more to be thankful for beyond our families, a roof over our heads and a good cup of coffee in the morning.  Those are definitely gifts from our God who is the giver of all good things, and they are not the source of true thanksgiving.  A heart filled with gratitude continues to kneel at the Savior’s feet, continues to seek His wisdom, and continues to allow His peace to reign.

I am listening to Christmas music already.  And Thanksgiving really does come first.  We need to stop and be thankful. We need to recount how good and faithful God has been.  We need to truly see how God has shown up in the middles of this year’s stress and heartaches.  Being thankful is not an idea that is tacked on.  It is the attitude that brings us back around to the truth of who God is, and that He gives peace.

Motivating Truth

I kept telling myself I was doing something I loved to do. It just didn’t feel like it anymore.  I tried to psych myself up by reminding my mind and heart of all the positives I got to enjoy: I loved the opportunity to be creative, I loved who I spent my time with, I loved the camaraderie with others doing the same thing, I felt mentally challenged and I wanted to be successful. But I was exhausted.  I often found myself scrolling Pinterest for motivational quotes…

“Winners are not people who never fail, but people who never quit.”  ~Edwin Louis Cole

“Nothing is impossible.  The word itself says I’m Possible.” ~Audrey Hepburn

“Self-confidence is a super power. Once you start to believe in yourself, magic starts happening.” ~unknown

 

Have you been there?  Have you ever scrounged for just the right phrase that would lift your attitude and your belief above the muck you found yourself stuck in?  As a believer in Jesus I live in this tension where the world says I am to be confident that I am enough; the Bible says apart from God I can do nothing (John 15:5). The world tells me I find my value through how I match up to others; God’s Word says my value is found in Him.  He says I am precious to Him, I am honored and He loves me (Isaiah 43:4). 

As Christians, we live in this struggle to balance living in this world without allowing the world to shape who we are.  It’s hard to decipher what to believe about ourselves, our dreams and our potential.  How do we go about stretching ourselves to achieve the goals God has placed in our hearts?  Where do we find the well of motivation to keep us striving to do what we believe God has called us to do whether it is raising children, holding down a full-time corporate job, investing in our neighbors, opening our homes as a place of encouragement, creating an empowering online presence, teaching a weekly Bible class, caring for an elderly parent, or doing several things at one time?

There are three scriptural truths that I am learning to lean into.  They do more than motivate me, they ground me.  They provide a solid foundation so that I can decipher truth appropriately.  The first scripture is Proverbs 28:26, “The one who trusts in himself is a fool, but one who walks in wisdom will be safe.” (CSB) God’s word clearly tells us not to blatantly trust our own perceptions and point of view.  Our ideas can easily be skewed or downright selfish.  Instead we are to walk in wisdom.  To me that means spending time in God’s Word, learning what God says is significant.  Walking in wisdom includes intentionally seeking to know God more and aligning myself with His character.  It’s good to study scripture for insight into a problem or conflict, and we need to remember that gaining knowledge isn’t the only thing. Building our relationship with God is always the ultimate goal.  The deeper one’s intimacy is with Christ, the easier it is to hear and follow the wisdom He reveals.

The second truth is found in 2 Corinthians 3:5, “It is not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God.” (CSB) Each of us has gifts and abilities that make us shine.  Others tell us how good we are at this or that.  The truth we need to remember is that God is the source of whatever strength we call ours.  There is a song by Christian musician, Ronnie Freeman, called “The Only Thing.”  In the chorus of the song he repeats the phrase “the only thing that’s good in me is Jesus.”  None of us are competent in ourselves.  Each of us needs Jesus.  Sometimes I find myself putting expectations on myself thinking I ought to be able to do a-b-c or handle x-y-z.  Perhaps I’ve done the exact thing many times before, or maybe I’ve come to think I’ve been a Christian long enough I should know what to do.  In those moments I need to humble myself and recall this truth: my adequacy is from God.  Whatever we do, whatever we may accomplish, it is God achieving and not ourselves. 

The third truth is from Psalms 138:8, “The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me.  Lord, your faithful love endures forever; do not abandon the work of your hands.” (CSB)  Wherever God has placed us, whatever God has laid on our hearts to accomplish, God will fulfill His purpose.  I often have to go back over truths one and two to double check that I am living God’s purpose and not my own.  When I’ve squeezed in too much of my own thoughts and ideas, or I am trying to do too much in my own strength, I’ve stopped looking for what God wants to do in me, through me and for me.  The Bible doesn’t say God will be faithful to give us the life we’ve imagined will be purposeful.  The Psalmist affirms that God will accomplish what He sets out to do.  We can trust that God always chooses what is best; He is faithful and He never fails. 

A Pinterest worthy inspirational quote is good now and then.  In each one I’ve read, there is a nugget of truth.  And we need to continually be conscious that we can’t trust what we think, our adequacy is always found in God alone, and we need to be focused only on God’s purposes. We each need to base our motivation on the truth of God’s Word, relying on His wisdom and His truth so that we are not led astray, and we are able to keep living the life He longs for us to live.

Patience over Power

I found myself in a conversation last week that made me feel uncomfortable.  The other person wasn't attacking me or saying anything exceptionally crude; I felt an unsettling attitude behind the words being spoken.  I sensed defensiveness, some anger and a lot of "I want to be right."  I didn't want to continue the conversation.  I value the other person deeply and I believe the other person values me as well.  Still, I felt bullied, though I am convinced that was not the other person's intent.  

The conversation came to mind the following morning as I read the designated passage for my quiet time.  Proverbs 16:32 says, "Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city." (NLT)  I wondered if I have made others feel as I had felt: bullied, unheard, someone to vomit on without regard for their opinion or feelings. I'm sure I have. I'm sure I've treated my spouse in such a way when I am overwhelmed and agitated. I suspect my friends have wondered at times what's really going on inside of me as I've unloaded. I understand that there are moments we need to voice our frustrations and all the mess that is associated with our less-than-pleasant emotions.  I am aware of the benefits of "getting it all out."  And I can't help but be convinced I've hurt someone in the process because it sounds like I'm bashing them instead of just verbally cleansing my system.  

The verse in Proverbs gave me pause.  I noticed several key ideas

• Patience is valued.  Waiting and biding time is a plus.

• Power is not always the answer, nor is obtaining "the best position."

• Controlling one's emotions or one's spirit is valuable.

• Controlling one's emotions or one's spirit is better than winning the battle at any cost.

As I looked over those key ideas I was reminded of something my husband says to me periodically: You don't always have to say what you are thinking.  It's been a lesson I've found hard to learn.  At times, my words are so desperate to be released; they clamor ever louder in my mind daring me to spit them out. The lie that I  will feel better when my ideas are set free is hard to silence.  I forget I am often left with a relational mess to clean up after my words have viciously tumbled out.  Winning really isn't everything.  My value isn't determined by the arguments I win, or the conversations I think I control.    

The proverb is timely wisdom for me as I'm scheduled to head back to work after spending 7 weeks caring for my elderly mother.  I'm not in control at my job.  I'm a happy "the buck  doesn't stop with me" employee.  And yet I know that I like things done a certain way; I feel frustrated when I sense others are doing what I determine to be a slip-shod job.  God whispered to my soul to be  patient, with others and with myself, as I venture back to my routine.  He reminded me that I am to be representing Jesus in everything I do and everything I say.  Christ is the real power in my life, and His power is what I want to lean into.  God reminded me to listen, really hear the heart of those around me. He reassured me with the truth that my value doesn’t come from my job, God alone determines my value and He loves me overwhelmingly.  He told me to work in such a way as to honor Him and give Him pleasure, releasing my desire to control how others behave.  He told me to stop judging others by how they work, or don't work, in my opinion.  He brought back to mind the conversation I had previously endured.  I put the faces of my co-workers in my place and I knew I didn't want to treat them in such a way. 

I admit this challenge from God felt overwhelming. My selfishness reared her annoyed head at the idea of continually  choosing to put myself aside and consider others so intensely.  God's Spirit redirected me back to the Proverb: be patient.  I sensed His sweet Spirit reminding me I needed to be as patient with myself and the learning curve, as much as I needed to exhibit patience with others. Again, He whispered His love and acceptance of  me, He reminded me of His grace. He opened my heart to the truth that Proverbs 16:32 is manageable because I have Jesus.  He has poured His grace on me.  He pours so much grace on me that it overflows; I know I have more than enough to extend grace to others. I stand in grace, and I can be patient, my sinful nature can be held in check as I fix my eyes on the one who has all the power.  

To Him be all the glory.