Monday, November 20, 2023
Monday, November 20, 2023:
This week we celebrate Thanksgiving. There is so much to be grateful for at Prosper UMC. As we begin this week of giving thanks, I invite you to consider these questions before your daily readings.
What does gratitude mean to you? How do you find gratitude in God’s love? How do you find the energy to extend gratitude when at times it feels like we live in an ungrateful world? How do you imagine carrying an attitude of gratitude could change this corner of the world to extend beyond the walls of the church? Do small attitudes of gratitude add up to bigger acts of gratitude? How so? Share with someone this week why you are grateful for their presence in your life.
Pause. Pray. Read. Be still. Write. Pray. Go about your day or turn in for the night.
Read: Philippians 4: 6-7
We have all had bad days in our life. Those days where we find ourselves in a constant state of negativity or with all-consuming thoughts about one thing or another, leaving us almost numbed by the range of emotions we are experiencing.
And then something clicks, when we ask ourselves, do I continue to engage in the roller coaster of emotions I am experiencing, should I disengage and go for a run to clear my thoughts, clean the house, or plop myself down on the couch and binge on my favorite Netflix or apple TV series, or should I simply sit in silent reflective meditation to help find my peace.
When my peace of mind is robbed and we feel we are being pulled in multiple directions so often, we do not know what to do. Sleep evades us, which then triggers exhaustion complicating the struggle in our mind to make good choices and decisions. Or we find ourselves engaging in stressful eating, which only compounds problems.
I remember when I was a teenager – you know the time in each one of our lives when we think we know everything about anything, but we truly know nothing about most things. I recall my moment of teenage frustration stomping upstairs to my bedroom, closing the door, pulling the covers over my head, then, after a few minutes, an overwhelming sense of peace and calmness covered the emotions I was experiencing. I knew in an instant the importance of letting go of the frustration I was feeling, and not reengage in such a negative manner.
After some time passed, I went back downstairs and was greeted by parents with the same love and grace they had always extended toward me. The sense of gratitude I felt because of their loving grace was amazing. I gained a valuable nugget of wisdom in that moment when I knew to remove myself from escalating the disagreement to meditate and find peace. While I truly had zero understanding of what meditation meant at that time in my life, I was given the gift of knowing quiet reflection in such a beautiful way. I was profoundly grateful when my peace was restored. While I did not have a relationship with Christ at that time in my life, in hindsight, I trust it was the Holy Spirit interceding in my life, gifting me with wisdom, and peace, gratitude and grace. I am forever grateful for the precious insight received at a difficult time in my life.
Be Still: How do you find gratitude when your heart is filled with anxiety or turmoil – whether it be at work, with family members, or even with friends. How do you open yourself up to receive nuggets of wisdom or even extend grace by being the calming presence in someone else’s storm.
Pray: Patient God, so often when we find ourselves in the confusion and stressors of daily life, our first response is to react, instead to step back from whatever turmoil is surrounding me. When we find we are challenged by personal desire to win at all costs may your Holy Spirit intercede, and may we always remember to bring our requests and frustrations to you first. Amen.