Grateful Living
By Helen Sahl
We have an extraordinary country! I remember returning to Australia after a few years of living in PNG and hearing the sound of an approaching ambulance. I watched in amazement as cars on the road peeled off to the sides, and the ambulance quickly passed through the traffic, getting the person to the help they needed. Tears came to my eyes. I saw people putting others before themselves and realised this is a value we have in Australia. Not every country operates like that! That value comes from the Bible, and Jesus clearly tells us to put others before ourselves.
I am so grateful for my Bible and the words of truth it contains. I read it by myself, but I also have a small online group that I read it with each week, and we learn great stuff – encouraging, but also challenging - about ourselves and about God, every time. It’s vital to read His Word every day so we don’t drift and start to manufacture our own “truths,” which might not be truths at all.
God’s truths are not intuitive for us, as the human heart is inclined towards selfishness. However, the irony is that by letting go of ourselves and putting God at the centre of our lives, we can live our very best life, starting today. He knows us better than we know ourselves.
Here is my gratitude verse from the Bible, which is one example of the clear direction God provides about how I should live.
Be joyful always; pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:17
It’s as simple as that… if God says it, then I can trust it.
Finally,
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6.
We have an extraordinary country! I remember returning to Australia after a few years of living in PNG and hearing the sound of an approaching ambulance. I watched in amazement as cars on the road peeled off to the sides, and the ambulance quickly passed through the traffic, getting the person to the help they needed. Tears came to my eyes. I saw people putting others before themselves and realised this is a value we have in Australia. Not every country operates like that! That value comes from the Bible, and Jesus clearly tells us to put others before ourselves.
I am so grateful for my Bible and the words of truth it contains. I read it by myself, but I also have a small online group that I read it with each week, and we learn great stuff – encouraging, but also challenging - about ourselves and about God, every time. It’s vital to read His Word every day so we don’t drift and start to manufacture our own “truths,” which might not be truths at all.
God’s truths are not intuitive for us, as the human heart is inclined towards selfishness. However, the irony is that by letting go of ourselves and putting God at the centre of our lives, we can live our very best life, starting today. He knows us better than we know ourselves.
Here is my gratitude verse from the Bible, which is one example of the clear direction God provides about how I should live.
Be joyful always; pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:17
It’s as simple as that… if God says it, then I can trust it.
Finally,
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6.
Posted in Grateful Living