What Are Your Heart's Desires at This Moment?

Hunger and thirst are two of our strongest drives for sustaining life. As these basic requirements are satisfied, the human tendency is to focus on other needs such as a particular lifestyle, a specific neighborhood, career advancements, and other amenities.

The need for close, nurturing relationships consistently rises to the highest priority with most individuals. Without these God-created desires and needs actively working for your benefit, life evolves into vicious circles that question life’s meaning and purpose.

Vicious circles diminish the rewards derived from having close, intimate relationships with the family and being a servant of God. Overcoming vicious circles begins by asking, “What are my priorities, what is my heart’s desire, what will it amount to at the end of days and for eternity?” Listen to an invitation from God’s word: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, for it is the power of God to give life abundantly." Will you accept?

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God will give you his constantly overflowing kindness. Then, when you always have everything you need, you can do more and more good things.

~2 Corinthians 9:8 God’s Word Translation

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What Diminishes Feelings of Appreciation?

We live in an age of buying now and paying later. Maxing out credit cards can be done with ease, while paying the bill may be emotionally conflictual, demanding, and financially challenging. The abundance of things can become a barrier to feeling and expressing gratitude.

Feeling appreciative may evaporate if acquiring things produces a mindset of privilege. If feeling privileged is associated with being in a position to demand your rights, are you then in a place of advantage above others?  When privilege is applied to relationships, expressions of gratitude may be replaced by demands.

2 Samuel 22 gives reasons for expressing appreciation to God for meeting all your needs. Listen as David speaks. “The Lord is my protector and strong fortress. He defends and keeps me safe…In my troubles I call on him, and he listens and sends help.” Trusting the Lord God is a privilege and honor. 

     

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God can pour out every gift of his love on you so you will always in every way have all you need and plenty to do any good work.   

~2 Corinthians 9:8 Beck – New Testament in the Language of Today

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Thriving in Difficult Times

What would you say is your most compelling need at this moment? A television series focused on several families who volunteered to live for one year as the pioneers did in the1850s. This included duplicating the food, clothing, housing, and conveniences within that time period.

Each family, with one exception, discovered life was manageable without electronics, air-conditioning, automobiles, refrigeration, or indoor plumbing. The family who left the series was unable to adjust to the severe limitations of pioneer life. One couple later divorced as a consequence of stress created by pioneer life.

Those who kept their commitment discovered that God provides even in difficult, challenging times. These people committed to adapting physically and discovered God’s faithfulness in providing character strength that kept their relationships stable. A name for God’s faithfulness is Jehovah-Jireh, “the Lord who provides.” Do trust God to provide for you.  

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And God is able to make your every spiritual blessing overflow for you, so that you will always have in every situation an entire sufficiency and so overflow for every good cause.

~2 Corinthians 8:9 Williams – New Testament in the Language of the People

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Treasure Hunting - Part 3

The journey toward mid-life is often approached with resistance or even denial. Someone observed that as a generation grows older an important issue all must face is what to do with the wisdom and knowledge gained during the past decades of adult life. How you deal with this issue speaks loud and clear in defining the kind of person you are in particular.

All your life you may have been generous with what you possess as a result of the gifts and talents God gave you. It includes the practical, emotional, and intellectual skills you used to subdue the challenges God placed before you. As you come to this stage of life, the challenge is to pass on to the next generation what was given to you.

Productive change includes standing up for the godly influence you can be on those around you. It's giving something that money can't buy and receiving the promise of 2 Corinthians 9:8: "And God is able to make all grace abound in you, so that in all things, at all times you will abound in every good work." May God's grace always be evident in you.