This Moment

        Are you grateful right now? Or are you waiting for [insert action, thing, or event] to happen in your life? A topic I touch on a lot is being content and having patience. It’s something I deal with all the time. I would be doing fine, then I would see something online. I would see someone accomplishing something I hope to accomplish or reaching a life milestone earlier than me, then I get worried. God, is everything alright up there? Did you forget about me, my hopes, and my dreams?  
        Something I’m constantly dealing with is being content in this moment; not waiting for [insert action, thing, or event] to happen in my life before I allow myself to be joyful. A good way to arrive at this place I think is to be thankful. It’s just like what my mom often says, “If God didn’t do one more thing for me, I’d be ok.”
       Furthermore, we all can be grateful for God’s ultimate gift.
       “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5: 6-8)

Just having fun zip-lining!

            In addition to this gift, we can be grateful for our personal testimonies. I’ve seen God’s hand and protection in my life many times; most clearly on May 19, 2008. My brush with death always makes me so grateful for life. I use that gratitude to look ahead and trust in God’s promises. “This moment” may not be where we want to be, but we praise God in it and trust in His promises. We see several times in the Bible of people praising God when in that moment things didn’t look great. Paul got his praise on in jail!
          “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open and everybody’s chains came loose.” (Acts 16:25-26)
          Even through turmoil and hardships, Job praised God.
           “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised. In all this Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.” (Job 1: 21-22)
          We can learn so much from these spiritual heroes. And remember,
         “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)