Thought For Today

I am so glad that you have found this site and I hope you will find encouragement and joy as you read through my thoughts on God, family and life.

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Maturing in My Faith

Many times in life some of us wish that it would be nice to live in a castle in some far away land. We look outside at the snow and clouds and wonder what it would be like to live a fairy tale existence.  For most people in the world, we here in the U.S. do live in castles compared to them.  We have wealth matched by no other country throughout time.  Our parents worked all their lives to live in a house that we have now.

Those that have lost their health, or a loved ones, these material dreams seem so much less important.  Thoughts go back to the times that we wished we should have settled for less, and spent more time with those that are gone, a time when one's health could have allowed it.   We do have the chance today to do what we can with the physical abilities still given to us; abilities that allow us to love those around us that need us so desperately.
For some, it is time to leave the past in the past and do what we can today.  In doing a self inventory, we may find that God has blessed us more than we deserve.  He has given to us a life worth an infinite amount of wealth.  As long as I breath, I am slowly finding that I need to strive to be the blessing God desires of me to be to others as he has been to myself.

In visiting an elderly friend in the hospital the other day, to my surprise, I found that this wonderful saint wanted to know my needs and politely asked if she could place them on a pray chain.  In her illness and pain, she was thinking of others and not herself.  What a Christian model for us all.  I left uplifted and yet very humbled by her selflessness.  So many times I have found myself left wanting, feeling that I have so far to go in my faith.  But during my quiet times with God he assures me by his spirit and his word that I am his, and that he will not let me go.  He tells me that he has wonderful plans for me yet, plans that will give me hope and a great future.
God gives me glimpses of who he wants me to be by allowing me to know people like this wonderful elderly woman whose eyes are fixed on Jesus and his love for his children.   I do so want to mature in my faith like this wonderful lady.  Thank you Lord for helping me to refocus on what is important.

JeremiahJeremiah 29:11  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.