by Catherine McDaugale | Nov 18, 2024 | Christian Living, Life
Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT).
God wants us to be thankful in all circumstances. The Greek word translated in this verse as all means “any, every, the whole.” That covers everything – the good, the bad, the easy, and the difficult. You get the picture.
Yet, it can be hard to be thankful when we’re going through a challenging season. In those times, we need to remember that God’s commands are always good, even when we can’t see the why.
It’s good to be thankful because God has been gracious to us. He has saved us, and He works through the hard things to bring us closer to Him. Not only that, the act of gratitude benefits us physically. The more we’re focused on what’s good in our lives, the less we’re thinking about what’s wrong.
As Thanksgiving draws near, here are three steps you can take to fulfill God’s command to be thankful.
1. Remember God’s faithfulness.
Set aside time to recall all that God has done for you and your family this year. “He has made His wonderful works to be remembered” (Psalm 111:4 NKJV). If you need some guidance, my book, Ebenezer Stones, is all about the ways God is faithful in our lives.
Sit down with paper and a pen. Then, pray and ask God to remind you of what He’s done in your life. As you remember God’s faithfulness, write it down. Keep the list so you can pull it out when things feel bleak. Remembering God’s past faithfulness will help you to trust Him with whatever you’re going through in the present.
2. Pray.
Spend some time going through the list you made. Meditate on the specifics of how God came through for you. Follow the psalmist’s example to not just “remember the works of the Lord,” but also to “meditate” on them (Psalm 77:11–12 NKJV).
Thank God for everything He has done. As the psalmist declared, “Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” (Psalm 107:11 NKJV). Verbalize your gratefulness to Him.
3. Publicly Proclaim God’s faithfulness.
The psalmist committed to be thankful to God “in the great assembly” and to praise God “among many people” (Psalm 35:18 NKJV). Each year, our church has a Thanksgiving banner service. It’s a sweet time of publicly professing God’s goodness.
Tell others about God’s faithfulness. Take time during your Thanksgiving dinner to recount to your family and friends how God has worked in your life. Give God the glory. It all belongs to Him (Revelation 4:11).
So, be thankful. Remember God’s faithfulness. Thank Him for all He’s done for you. Then, publicly proclaim His goodness this Thanksgiving season as you walk by faith with Him.
Photo by Patrick Hendry on Unsplash
by Catherine McDaugale | Jun 3, 2024 | Christian Living, Life, Spiritual Growth
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. (John 15:4 (NKJV))
Social Connection
Are you connected? In this world of social media, we’re more connected than ever before. We have Facebook “friends” and followers on Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter). We scroll and scroll and scroll through pithy quotes and videos posted by our “connections.”
Despite these connections, we’re more isolated than ever before. Studies have shown that increased social media use results in a higher rate of depression. We feel disconnected and lonely. Why? The connections aren’t as connected as we’d like – or even need – them to be.
So, are you connected? True connection comes from one-on-one time with someone, sharing life, and getting to know them face-to-face. And the same is true for your relationship with Jesus.
Spiritual Connection
Are you connected to your Savior? Reading a quick devotional or the Bible quote of the day won’t necessarily connect you to Jesus. To be connected, you need to spend time with Him.
- Talk to Jesus about what’s on your heart.
- Open your Bible and ask Him to speak to you.
- Slow down as you read His Word and hear what He wants to say.
- Sing a song to Him.
- Thank Him for who He is and all He’s done.
The Results of Connection
As you do, your connection to Jesus will grow stronger. You’ll be a branch that’s in constant contact with your Lord. Then based on your connection with Jesus, you’ll bear fruit. You’ll have more of the fruit of the Holy Spirit in your life.
That fruit of the Spirit is “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22 (NKJV)). What great things to have in your life! Do you want more joy? Spend more time with Jesus. Do you need patience and peace? Stay connected to your Savior.
As you go through your week, intentionally think about Jesus and set aside time to just be with Him. As you stay connected, you’ll have the fruit of the Spirit in your life. Then that love, that joy, that kindness – and all the rest of the Spirit’s fruit – will bless you and overflow from you to bless others as you walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | May 20, 2024 | Bible Study, Christian Living, Life, Spiritual Growth
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. (Psalm 100:4 (NKJV))
How do you prepare your heart for worship? In Psalm 100, the psalmist instructs the reader to start with thanksgiving and then transition into praise.
And that makes a lot of sense. Praise is the overflow of thanksgiving. When your heart is full of gratitude for what God has done for you, you naturally start to praise Him.
Gates and Courts
What does the psalmist mean when he refers to entering God’s gates and courts? What are they?
To enter the area of God’s temple in Jerusalem, a person had to pass through one of its gates. For example, Acts 3:2 tells us about a man begging at the temple’s gate called Beautiful.
After you entered through one of the gates, there were different courts where the people would go to worship God and where the priests would perform the sacrifices.
So, if you followed the psalmist’s instructions, you would start thanking God for who He is and all He had done when you went through one of the gates to go to the temple. Then by the time you entered the courts, your heart would be prepared to praise God for those things.
Modern Gates and Courts
How can we follow the psalmist’s instructions? We don’t have gates and courts like they did at the time Psalm 100 was written. But we can treat the parking lot of the church building like a gate and the door to the church like entering the courts of the Lord.
Try it the next time you go to church. As you enter the parking lot, start thanking God for who God is and all He has done for you since the last time you were there. For example, you can thank Him for
- getting you to church safely;
- His continued provision in your life;
- a special time you had with a family member or friend;
- your ability to think, breathe, and talk; and
- the fact that He is more than able to help you with any problem you have.
Then when you go through the doors of God’s house, praise Him for who He is and all He’s done. Share with others about God’s goodness in your life. Sing to Him during worship.
The psalmist goes on to give us reasons for thanking and praising God. He reminds us that God is “good”; God’s “mercy is everlasting”; and God’s “truth endures to all generations” (Psalm 100:5 (NKJV)). Amen to that!
So, how do you prepare your heart to worship? Make it a habit to thank and praise God. As you do, you’ll cultivate a heart of gratitude and praise as you walk by faith with Him.
Photo by Rachel Coyne on Unsplash
by Catherine McDaugale | Apr 8, 2024 | Bible Study, Christian Living, Life, Spiritual Growth
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2 (NKJV))
What is God’s will for you? If you want to find out, the best place to learn about His will for your life is by reading the Bible. The Bible expressly says that certain things are God’s will. To get you started, here are seven things that are God’s will for you.
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“Rejoice always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16 (NKJV))
God’s will is for you to be cheerful at all times. How can you do that? By meditating on God’s faithfulness – who He is and all He has done for you.
When you’re focused on yourself, it can be hard to be full of joy. But when your focus is on God, you can rejoice every time.
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“pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NKJV))
God wants you to be in constant communication with Him. Make a daily appointment with Jesus to spend time with Him one-on-one. Use that time to praise Him for who He is and all He’s done, thank Him for the blessings in your life, bring your concerns to Him, and intercede for others.
But then also talk to Him throughout your day. Ask Him for guidance in making a decision. Thank Him for an easy commute. Pray for strength to love someone with His love. Praise Him for providing food for you to eat. Pray for healing when your kid falls on the playground. Talk to Him about everything. Nothing is too small or too big. Take it all to Him.
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“in everything give thanks” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV))
No matter what’s going on in your life, you can be grateful for all God has done for you. God wants you to give thanks “in” everything.
Despite your circumstances, God has forgiven all your sins. At the very least, you can thank Him for that. You can also thank Him that, one day, you will get to be with Him where there will be no more death, sorrow, pain, or crying (Revelation 21:4).
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“respect all human authority” (1 Peter 2:13 (NLT))
It’s God’s will for us to respect all of the people who are in authority over our lives. That includes the pastors at your church, a boss who doesn’t lead well, and those who don’t align with your political ideology. Why? So, your honorable life will “silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you” (1 Peter 2:15 (NLT)). People will compare any allegations with what they see in your life.
Besides, it’s God who “puts down one, and exalts another” (Psalm 75:7 (NKJV)). Ultimately, it’s God who puts people into positions of authority to accomplish His perfect will. We don’t always understand why. But we can trust that God knows what He’s doing.
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“abstain from sexual immorality” (1 Thessalonians 4:3 (NKJV))
God wants you to be pure: to abstain from sexual immorality. As the New Living Translation phrases it, “God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin.” As that passage goes on to explain, “God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness” (1 Thessalonians 4:7 (NKJV)).
And be vigilant, not only about what you do, but about what you watch, read, and let yourself think about. Pray for God to help you to be pure and holy. Ask Him to reveal if you’re doing anything that He doesn’t want you to do. If He shows you something, stop doing it.
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“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37 (NKJV))
I’ve included this one and the next because, even though they don’t expressly say, “This is the will of God,” they were spoken by Jesus (who is God). Jesus said, “You shall,” which means it’s mandatory. God wants you to love Him. And how much? Not just a little bit but with all your heart, soul, and mind.
God wants us to give Him everything we are and everything we have. If you hold back an area of your life, you’re not loving Him with all your heart, soul, and mind.
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“You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39 (NKJV))
God also wants you to love your neighbor as you love yourself. Who is your neighbor? It’s not limited to the person who lives next door to you. Instead, the Greek word for neighbor, plesion, means any other person that you chance to meet. In short, everyone is your neighbor. If someone crosses your path, you are to love them as you love yourself.
So, those are seven things that the Bible says are God’s will for you. Take God at His word. Start applying those truths to your life. As you do, you will draw closer to Jesus. Then, God will reveal more of His will for your life as you walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | Mar 4, 2024 | Christian Living, Life, Thoughts
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27 (NKJV))
The Source of Peace
Where can you find peace? The source is God. As Isaiah said, “You [referring to God] will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV)). And like we saw in the verse above, Jesus told His disciples that He would give them peace (John 14:27). So, peace comes from God.
But how exactly do you get it?
Go to the Source
If you want peace, you need to go to God. He is the source of peace. You won’t find that peace in the world because the peace from God is a “perfect peace” (Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV)) that “surpasses all understanding “(Philippians 4:7 (NKJV)).
How do you go to God for peace? Philippians 4:6–8 (NKJV) gives us the answer. It tells us,
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things.
Based on these verses in Philippians, here are three steps you can take to get peace:
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Pray
Talk to God and tell Him what’s on your mind. Ask Him for help with whatever situation you’re going through or for wisdom about a decision you need to make. And ask for his peace to quiet your mind.
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Thank God
Come to God with a heart of gratitude. Thank God for who He is and all He has done for you. Be specific. For example, you could thank Him for
- saving you,
- forgiving all your sins,
- His ability to help you – no matter how big your problem is,
- His promise to always be with you,
- walking with you through your trial,
- the ways He has provided for you in the past, and
- anything else you can think of.
Being thankful to God will prepare your heart for the third step.
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Meditate
Focus your mind on God. Don’t try to stop thinking about what’s making you anxious. Instead, replace those thoughts by thinking about things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy. God’s character and nature and the ways He has blessed you fall into these categories.
Meditate on how God has been faithful to you – on all the things you thanked Him for. Learn about God’s nature by reading His Word, the Bible. To name just a few, God is good, holy, powerful, and loving. Training your mind to think about God’s character and faithfulness will build up your trust in God.
As we saw in Isaiah, the person whose mind is “stayed” on God will be in “perfect peace.” Why? Because that person trusts in our awesome, amazing God.
While your mind is fixed on God, that peace that surpasses all understanding will guard your heart and mind. So, follow these three steps: pray, thank God, and meditate on your beautiful Savior. Then, you’ll have peace as you walk by faith with Him.
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by Catherine McDaugale | Nov 13, 2023 | Christian Living, Thoughts
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. (Psalm 106:1 (NKJV))
Thanksgiving is quickly approaching – a time for family gatherings and expressions of gratitude. (And a time to wonder, Where did 2023 go?) It can be hard to give thanks if you’re going through a difficult season. Yet, God wants us to give thanks “in everything” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV)).
It’s challenging to have a thankful heart when we’re focused on the bad stuff or the hard things. Although our feelings are very real, they can keep us from seeing the bigger picture. Instead of showing us the truth, those feelings give us tunnel vision.
But as a born-again believer, you have a lot to be thankful for. You are God’s child, and your heavenly Father is amazing!
If you’re having trouble finding reasons to be grateful this Thanksgiving, here are 20 reasons you can give thanks no matter what you’re going through. Take a moment to look up the verse for each one. Then meditate on how awesome that truth is!
- God is good (Psalm 100:5).
- God loves you (John 3:16; 1 John 3:16).
- God is always with you (Psalm 139:7; Matthew 28:20).
- God will never leave you or drop you (Hebrews 13:5).
- God will strengthen you (Isaiah 41:10).
- God will help you (Isaiah 41:10).
- God will uphold you (Isaiah 41:10).
- God is strong and mighty (Psalm 24:8).
- You are safe in Jesus’ hand (John 10:28–29).
- God thinks about you more than the number of grains of sand (Psalm 139:17–18).
- God’s thoughts toward you are thoughts of peace (Jeremiah 29:11).
- God hears your prayers (1 John 5:14–15).
- Jesus is praying for you (Romans 8:34), and so is the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26).
- God understands your thoughts (Psalm 139:2).
- God is working all things together for good (Romans 8:28).
- God is conforming you into the image of His Son, Jesus (Romans 8:29).
- God will complete the work He has started in you (Philippians 1:6).
- Jesus is preparing a place for you so you can be with Him (John 14:2–3).
- Jesus will come again (John 14:3).
- One day, God will make everything new (Revelation 21:5).
So, “[e]nter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name” (Psalm 100:4 (NKJV)). Focus on who God is and all He has done and continues to do for you. Choose to be filled with gratitude as you walk by faith with Him.
Photo by Timothy Eberly on Unsplash
by Catherine McDaugale | Dec 26, 2022 | Bible Study, Christian Living, Life
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 (NKJV))
Why do we celebrate Christmas? Even those who aren’t Christian know it’s the day set aside to celebrate the birth of Jesus. But what’s so special about someone’s birthday?
Now that the busyness of the Christmas holiday has subsided, let’s reflect on how amazing it is that Jesus was born that night in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago. And let’s meditate on what His birth meant for us.
People are sinners. The Bible tells us that all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). And our sins put us in a real quandary. They left us separated from God.
None of us could pay the penalty for our sins. Our sins were too costly because they were committed against a perfect, all-powerful God. Because we are imperfect, we couldn’t do anything to pay off our debt. The best we could offer was like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).
But God knew our predicament. He knew we weren’t able to save ourselves. So, God Himself chose to pay the penalty for our sins. And He was our only hope.
Jesus is God. He was there at the beginning with God the Father (John 1:1). He existed before anything was created. Jesus is eternal. He was not created; He is the Creator.
Everything was made through Jesus. He created you, me, the mountains, the trees, the flowers, the animals, the birds, the earth, the stars, and the universe – to name just a few. The Bible says, “All things were created through Him and for Him” (Colossians 1:16 (NKJV)).
Yet, with all that power, Jesus chose to leave His glory in heaven to be born a helpless baby on earth. He loves you so much that He wanted to make a way for you to have a relationship with Him.
Jesus – the Word – became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). He lived a perfect, sinless life; willingly died on the cross for your sins; was buried; and rose from the grave three days later (Matthew 28:6; John 10:17-18; Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
How can we fully grasp the great sacrifice that our God made for us? An infinite God chose to come down to earth and take on a finite body. He left heaven, knowing that He would be rejected by His creation and die on the cross.
And He did it all for you. Jesus did it so your sins could be forgiven. He did it so you could have eternal life with Him. It’s truly something to celebrate!
So, whether or not you made time to worship Jesus on Christmas, worship Him now. Our worship is not confined to any specific day. In the aftermath of the holiday rush, let’s slow down and remember everything that our faithful God has done for us. Let’s take time to worship Jesus as we walk by faith with Him.
by Catherine McDaugale | Mar 28, 2022 | Christian Living, Life, Ministry, Spiritual Growth
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV))
Have you noticed that God doesn’t usually give you the whole picture when He asks you to do something? It’s like putting together a puzzle when you don’t have the front of the box. You’re not sure what it’s going to look like when you’re finished. You can’t see how it will turn out.
For example, you may feel God prompting you to text someone a Bible verse but you have no idea why. You may feel uncomfortable because you’re worried what she’ll think. Later, she may tell you that the verse was exactly what she needed at the time. However, when you sent it, you didn’t have that insight.
Or God may give you a vision with just the first step. He shows you what He wants you to accomplish overall but doesn’t give you the details. Until you take that first step, God doesn’t give you the next one. You have no idea how God is going to take you from step one to the vision’s completion. You don’t have the whole picture.
A few years ago, God gave me a vision about writing a book about His faithfulness. I had never written a book before and didn’t have any idea how it could come to completion. God had only given me the first step. He wanted me to write about how He had been faithful to bring me through a difficult time. It wasn’t until I completed that first step that He gave me the next one. As I followed His direction, God guided me step by step, giving me everything I needed as I stepped out in faith to do the next part.
After the book was completed, I could look back and see the whole picture. I could see how God had met me where I was, each step of the way. And that first step – the one that was so hard to take – didn’t even make it into the book. It was necessary to start the process, and God used it for me personally. But the first step was never meant to be part of the book.
Each time God gives us something to do, we really want the whole picture, don’t we? We think it would be helpful to know all the details. We believe that we would be more confident if we knew each step we would need to take, what would happen in response to each step we took, and how God would work in each situation
Yet, if God gave us the whole picture, we wouldn’t be walking by faith with Him. Instead, we would likely move forward on our own.
Moreover, having the whole picture wouldn’t necessarily help. The truth is that we might not be able to handle the whole picture if God gave it to us up front. It might be too overwhelming for us to take it all in.
We see an example of this in Moses’s life. When God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, He gave Moses many of the details about where He wanted Moses to go, what He wanted Moses to do, who He wanted Moses to talk to, what He wanted Moses to say, and how the people would respond.
- First, God told Moses to go and gather the elders of Israel together, what he should say to the elders, and how the elders would respond (Exodus 3:16-18).
- Second, God told Moses to go to the king of Egypt with the elders, what he should say to the king of Egypt, and that the king of Egypt would not let the Israelites leave (Exodus 3:18-19).
- Finally, God told Moses that He would do the work so that the king of Egypt would let them go and they would leave with the Egyptians’ riches (Exodus 3:20-22).
In short, God gave Moses the whole picture.
When God was finished, we see that Moses was still stuck on step one. Moses asked God, “But suppose they [the elders] will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you’” (Exodus 4:1 (NKJV)).
God had just told Moses how the elders of the Israelites would react. God told Moses that they would believe him – that they would “heed” his voice (Exodus 3:18 (NKJV)). But Moses was focused on himself and his own abilities. It’s like he shut down after that first direction. Maybe he began thinking about it, trying to figure out how it would all work.
Did Moses even hear the rest of what God told him in that moment? We don’t know. But it must have been overwhelming to hear about it all.
How often are we like Moses? We also get stuck on the first step. Instead of trusting God and stepping out in obedience, we get anxious. We ask ourselves, “How could I do that?” Or we worry about what people will think. For that reason, it would be easy for us to get overwhelmed if God gave us more than that first step.
Rather than focusing on our own abilities – or lack thereof – we need to trust God. God is able to help us with everything He wants us to do. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way” (Psalm 37:23 (NKJV)).
So stop waiting for that step-by-step plan. Don’t worry about whether God’s given you the whole picture. Step out in faith when God gives you that very first step. Trust Him and see the amazing things that He will do.
*Photo by Benjamin Zanatta on Unsplash
by Catherine McDaugale | Sep 16, 2021 | Christian Living, Life, Spiritual Growth
Mornings are hard. I have always secretly envied people (like my husband) who are able to wake up early and still be congenial, outgoing, and talkative from the get-go. If I have to get up early, it seems the only thing I can focus on is how bad I feel – the brain fog and the general malaise.
I recently saw a mug that declared, “A fun thing to do in the morning is not talk to me.” Yeah, that pretty much sums it up.
During COVID, I worked from home. Without the long commute, I was able to slowly wake up before I had to travel down the hallway to our loft where I had set up my home office. I quickly adapted to my new routine. Needless to say, my morning disposition greatly improved.
But now it was time to go back to work at my real office. We had been summoned by those with the authority to change my morning routine. So, in the wee hours before the rising of the sun, I dragged my body out of bed. And I grumbled.
The Bible instructs us not to complain (1 Corinthians 10:10). The Greek word used for complain means to murmur or grumble against in a low tone. It shows a discontentedness with the way things are in your life.
Yet, I had been grumbling and complaining every chance I got. I grumbled in my head. I whined to my husband, coworkers, and friends. I complained about having to get up early. I criticized those who had made the decision to bring us back to the office given that we would be required to wear masks. I felt justified with my grumbling since I’m not a morning person.
Then God reminded me that we’re not supposed to grumble. While I was teaching other women in a Bible study, one of the verses talked about grumbling.
Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned.” (James 5:9 (NKJV))
Ironic, isn’t it? There I was, telling them how they shouldn’t grumble when I had been doing that very thing. A few weeks later, God brought that verse to my remembrance, and the self-application finally sunk in.
I realized that my perspective was wrong. I had only been focused on the early hours and how my body felt. I had lost the bigger picture.
When I shifted my perspective, I could see all that God had given me. Sure, I now had to wake up early, but God was still blessing my life.
- God had continued to provide me with a job.
- God gave me coworkers that I enjoy working with.
- God provided me with the opportunity to spend time with Him in the morning while I commuted in my car – time to sing praises to Him, listen to His word, and pray.
I had forgotten that God is in control of everything. Nothing happens in my life without it going through Him first. There is a reason for everything. God had a reason for allowing the early hours and the long commute back into my life – even if I couldn’t see what it was. I can be certain that God will use whatever happens in my life for His glory.
I had also forgotten that grumbling ruins your witness to others. When you complain, the people around you will wonder why they should be a Christian when you aren’t any different than anyone else. Jesus said,
By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:35 (NKJV))
Jesus didn’t say they would know you are His disciple by your complaining. There is no love in grumbling.
Jesus also told us,
You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. (Matthew 5:13 (NKJV))
Figuratively, Jesus was telling us that, as His followers, we are to exhibit wisdom and grace in our speech. As Pastor Jon Courson put it, “Salt promotes thirst, and as the salt of the earth, we should be making those around us thirsty for the living water of Jesus Christ.” We cannot be witnesses that will bring others to Jesus when we are complaining about things.
So I repented and asked God to forgive me for grumbling. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 (NKJV)). Praise God! Then I purposed in my heart to stop grumbling.
Have you been complaining about something? It may be something that seems unfair to you. And the situation may be unfair. Either way, God is faithful in your life.
If you’ve been grumbling, it’s time to change your perspective about your situation. Take a step back and ask God to show you the bigger picture. Instead of ruminating on what’s wrong, shift your focus from your circumstances to our faithful God. Make a list about the ways that God has been faithful in your life. Then meditate on God’s faithfulness. You can trust God as you walk by faith with Him.
