Can Vicious Circles Be Disrupted?

New generations are given an identity. The generation of the 1970s was called the me generation, labeled as greedy or self-centered. Greed describes a vicious circle comprised of acquiring, feeling discontented, and then repeating the circle.

An ancient philosopher noted, “There is no calamity greater than lavish desires, no greater guilt than discontentment, and no greater disaster than greed.” Economies depend on vicious circles of buying to satisfy desires and then becoming discontented again.

Listen to Habakkuk 2:5: “Wealth is deceitful. Greedy people are proud and restless,…and never satisfied.” This vicious circle can be disrupted by seeking spiritual wealth, which consists of faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Proverbs 10:22 is assuring: “The blessings of the Lord bring wealth with no troubles added on.” So count your blessings, name them one by one, and be truly surprised by what God has done.

                

_________ 

[Jesus said,] “Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me.” 

~John 14:1 Revised Standard Version

_________

Subscribe to the Attitudes Answers podcast on your favorite podcast platform to hear this and other 2-minute features 3 days every week.

What Prevents Us from Feeling Thankful?

It’s not easy to maintain an attitude of thanksgiving because our needs and wants are so great. The Gospel hymn instructs you to “Count your blessings; name them one by one. Count your many blessings; see what God has done.” The hymn writer knew we tend to forget to be thankful. Possessions without gratitude never bring contentment.

So what is it that blocks the willingness to be thankful? Solomon eventually realized that wealth did not produce happiness, but was vain, hollow and worthless. Ecclesiastes 2:1 expresses the desperation he felt. “Indulging in pleasure did not satisfy the emptiness of my soul.”

Rediscovering gratitude is the pathway to joy and contentment, but it requires focusing on things which God has provided that are priceless – things like the ability to love and be loved by a spouse, parents, children, or friends. But most of all, to be loved by God and to love him supersede all other things. So earnestly practice giving thanks to the Lord in all things.  

____________          

This is the kind of love we are talking about – not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God.

~1 John 4:10 The Message

 

Let [us] give thanks to the Lord for his faithful love and his wondrous works for all humanity.

~Psalm 107:8 Christian Standard Bible

_____________

Subscribe to the Attitudes Answers podcast on your favorite podcast platform to hear this and other 2-minute features 3 days every week.

Necessary for Happiness

How hard are you working for what you believe is essential for your happiness? In a nation of abundance how difficult is it to "Count your blessings, name them one by one; and it will surprise you what the Lord has done. Count your blessings, name them one by one; count your many blessings, see what God has done”?

A wise person concluded, "He who is not thankful for what he has, will not be happy with what else he acquires." Hezekiah the king of Judah became sick and believed death was imminent. God graciously gave him fifteen more years to live. Interestingly, Hezekiah was too proud to express gratitude to God for healing him.

Before we rail to heavily on Hezekiah, we would do well to be reminded to demonstrate thanksgiving for the blessings we've enjoyed from God. In our hurried lives, it's difficult to remember God, Jehovah-Jireh, “the Lord who provides all good things”. Why not stop for a moment and express your sincere thanks and gratitude to God?  

___________ 

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.

~Psalm 9:1 English Standard Version

 

I praise you, Lord, for answering my prayers. You are my strong shield, and I trust you completely. You have helped me, and I will celebrate and thank you in song.

~Psalm 28:6-7 Contemporary English Version

____________

Subscribe to the Attitudes Answers podcast on your favorite podcast platform to hear this and other 2-minute features 3 days every week.

God's Blessings – Joy Unspeakable!

In the church I attended as a child, the congregation was fond of singing the hymn, Count Your Blessings. The chorus concludes with "Count your blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done." Counting blessings is an effective way of expressing thanksgiving, which contributes to happiness and peace.

Irving Berlin knew it was impossible to experience continuous good times, yet he composed numerous songs expressing his gratitude for the blessings of living in America. When you’re willing to count your blessings, it’s apparent that God's gifts outshine the glitter of all other possessions.

Abraham Lincoln told a man in a large group of former slaves of Virginia who had been freed by the Emancipation Proclamation: "Don't kneel to me. That is not right. You must kneel to God only and thank Him for the liberty you will henceforth enjoy." God's greatest gift is Jesus Christ, who gives us freedom from sin. This liberty gives us joy unspeakable! For that we can be sincerely thankful. 

______________________ 

Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! For in our union with Christ he has blessed us by giving us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly world. Let us praise God for his glorious grace, for the free gift he gave us in his dear Son! For by the blood of Christ we are set free, that is, our sins are forgiven.  

~Ephesians 1:3, 6-7 Good News Bible

Christ's Coming: A Time of Transition - Part 4

During this wonderful time of the year, God graciously provides opportunities to celebrate the good news that Christ Jesus came to give us reasons to be joyful. “Count your blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what God has done.” As I activate this privilege, I’m compelled to pray for relatives and friends who must contend with troublesome issues.

          Jesus came to be the Great Physician, our comforter, friend, and redeemer. Knowing this encourages me to embrace those who are stuck in circumstances so dreadful that I can only imagine what it’s like to be in their place. I ask God to provide me with courage to be a blessing to those whom I know need His and my kindness. May God bless you with peace and joy. Merry Christmas! 

________________________________

To coordinate with KHCB’s “Five Days of Christmas” programming, I will post special Christmas thoughts on my blog Wednesday-Sunday, December 21-25. On those days, KHCB will air only Christmas music and short thoughts from the programmers.

On Monday, December 26, my blog posts again will coordinate with the radio broadcast schedule of Attitudes/Answers that airs at 5:45 PM on KHCB radio at 105.7FM in the Houston area. To stream it live or for a listing of sister stations in TX, OK, LA, and FL, you may click on the KHCB link in the "About Me" section of this page.