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?  

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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

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