Be Grateful

Today, I did what I always do; go to work, sit at my desk, work, and (as you should know by now) listen to music.  Pandora is a wonderful tool, you just type in an artist and it will find similar artists and play a variety of songs for as long as you can listen. I selected my Walter Hawkins station and went on with my day.  The song "Be Grateful" began to play. Now I'll usually sing along (not too loud though) and keep working, but this time I had to listen. The singer starts to describe what God has not promised, the rain and her appreciation of the good things.  Then she describes God's understanding of our pains and how He desires to give us what we want, but we have to be grateful. The next two lines moved me. "Be grateful, because there's someone else that's worse off than you. Be grateful, because there's someone else who'd love to be in your shoes."  Now my first reaction was to rewind a little to hear it again. I have heard this song hundreds of times, but that part did something to me today. A scripture dropped into my spirit and I had to go and read at that point.

Phillipians 4:6-9 states "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you."  We can be so anxious (worried, fretful, CONCERNED) with what we haven't got, who got their breakthrough last week, Sister or Brother So-and-so getting blessing after blessing and they just got saved and we've been saved FOREVER and ain't hit breakthrough #1 (or 2 for the most), and worried about the sinner across the street that seems to be getting ahead while we're getting behind, that we get complacent, complain and murmur, and forget how good God has already been to us! You prayed and asked God for something, you told Him what you wanted/needed/desired in prayer and believed Him for it. But for some reason, the little things got by unnoticed because you were looking for the big stuff.  Remember when you needed some gas and you didn't have any money and suddenly found some in a jacket pocket? Remember when you thought your water bill was a certain amount and you left the bill at home only to find out that when you went to pay it, it was LOWER than you thought? Or how about when you woke up this morning and got up and put your clothes on and fixed your breakfast? BE GRATEFUL. Bask in God's glory! He does things, big and small, all day long for us. Instead of focusing on the things that have taken some time to come to pass, think about the things that have come. As the songwriter said, somebody else would love to be where you are. From the greatest to the least!

  Friends, you have to find contentment and happiness where you are at.  RIGHT NOW.  When you pray and make your requests known to God, trust, believe, and walk knowing that He heard your request.  Until the things that you have requested come, know that God’s understanding is with you.  He sent His son Jesus to the earth so that He could know how we feel, and knowing this, He gives us peace. Peace while you wait! Think of all the good things, enjoy life, smile, laugh, study the word, keep His commandments, and watch Him move! And all the while, be grateful! I love you all; have a great rest-of the week.