Happy moments, praise God
Difficult moments, seek God,
Quiet moments, worship God,
Painful moments, trust God,
. . . Every moment, thank God!!!
This quote remindes me of a Bible verse. I like the way it reads in the Message version. It is Philippians 4:11 and it says this:
"I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am!"
I will be the first one to say that the past few years have been days, weeks, and months of my life that have been anything but "happily ever after"! But I have a God that has seen me through many trials and obstacles along the way. No, it hasn't always been easy - but God has been there to help me make it through the tough times on to some very "blessed" times of pure joy unspeakable and full of glory, as the old hymn says! I've had my share of happy times that I do praise God for.
There have been those difficult times where I learned to seek God and lay my burden at His feet, knowing that He knew every difficulty far better than I did. And He knew where it would take me and how much I would grow through the experience it taught me as I learned, lived and matured in my faith in a loving, caring God that wants us to bring our difficulties to Him. Just as a child brings their difficulties to us as parents - so He longs for us to bring "all" of our difficulties to Him.
I've learned to treasure the quiet times when I worship Him. It may be in my car, at home, at church, in the back yard - anywhere I am because that is where He is! My whole being simply taking in the awesome, unmatched sense of awe and wonder as I realize who He is and what He has done for me. He is the great "I am" - that means that He is EVERYTHING that I can even imagine and then some. He's been there, done that, He is IT! He is all there is . . . just for me and you! Anything I can imagine - He is IT! He knows just how I feel, what's going on in my life, in my family, and everything about me. He has the answers I long to know. He alone is waiting for me to truly worship Him in my day to day life and know that I have seen Jesus. . . can trust Him. . . can love Him. . . can obey His call to worship Him with my whole heart, soul, mind, and strength!
And what about those painful moments - can I trust Him then too? Yes, Yes, Yes!! It is during those painful times that I need Him the most. The times of hurt, misunderstanding, sorrow, sickness, and just plain fearful times when I haven't known what was ahead. These are the times I've learned to put all of my trust in His steady, unchanging hand.
As I look back on my life's journey there have been times when I seemed to be holding on for dear life and do you know what?? He never let go of me!!! And He will not let go of you either if you trust Him and give everything over to God's Almighty hand! The Hand of God reaches down to each one of us as we go through life's journey. It may lead us over the mountain, down into the valley, and maybe even across the plain - but He is there through it all.
It is through each of these phases of our lives that we learn to simply thank God for every moment in our lives, knowing that these moments have brought us closer to Him. Happy, difficult, quiet, painful moments . . . Every moment, thank God!!!
"I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am!" (Philippians 4:11)
Graze: To feed on growing grasses.
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.
-Ps. 23:1-6
Growing up on a farm, I used to watch the cows, sheep & horses graze in the pasture. Each morning we would open the gate to the barnyard and they knew there was freedom from that small pen they were in. They also knew there was nice green grass beyond the barnyard. Once the gate was open, look out because those animals wanted to get where the tall, green grass grew – the pasture! They would take off sometimes even running up the old fenced lane that went up over the hill through the cornfield to the lush green pasture on the other side of the farm. There they would graze for a while then lay down and rest for a while then graze some more. They did this all day long. Come evening we would go over to the pasture’s edge and call the cows – 'come boss, 'come boss. They would gather at the pasture gate. Sometimes we would have to go round up a few stragglers and when all were accounted for, we’d open the lane gate and back over the hill they would go to the barnyard for the night. The next morning was the same routine, day after day. What a life, huh?!
Oh that we could just graze and rest in shady green pastures all day long! But we can rest and graze in God’s green pastures and restore our souls . . . The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. (Ps. 23:1) I believe God wants us to slow down and “rest” and “graze” and “feed” on His Word. Life throws so many things our way and we are so busy – busy doing good things. But are we running on empty a good share of the time? Are we feeling stretched to extreme? Are we content with who we are in God’s divine providence? Slow down and take some time to just leisurely graze, rest a while, then graze and feed on the good things God has provided for you. Graze, rest, and enjoy the “shady green pastures” of God’s abundant love, grace, and mercy.
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.
-Ps. 23:1-6
Growing up on a farm, I used to watch the cows, sheep & horses graze in the pasture. Each morning we would open the gate to the barnyard and they knew there was freedom from that small pen they were in. They also knew there was nice green grass beyond the barnyard. Once the gate was open, look out because those animals wanted to get where the tall, green grass grew – the pasture! They would take off sometimes even running up the old fenced lane that went up over the hill through the cornfield to the lush green pasture on the other side of the farm. There they would graze for a while then lay down and rest for a while then graze some more. They did this all day long. Come evening we would go over to the pasture’s edge and call the cows – 'come boss, 'come boss. They would gather at the pasture gate. Sometimes we would have to go round up a few stragglers and when all were accounted for, we’d open the lane gate and back over the hill they would go to the barnyard for the night. The next morning was the same routine, day after day. What a life, huh?!
Oh that we could just graze and rest in shady green pastures all day long! But we can rest and graze in God’s green pastures and restore our souls . . . The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. (Ps. 23:1) I believe God wants us to slow down and “rest” and “graze” and “feed” on His Word. Life throws so many things our way and we are so busy – busy doing good things. But are we running on empty a good share of the time? Are we feeling stretched to extreme? Are we content with who we are in God’s divine providence? Slow down and take some time to just leisurely graze, rest a while, then graze and feed on the good things God has provided for you. Graze, rest, and enjoy the “shady green pastures” of God’s abundant love, grace, and mercy.
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