Henry Nouwen once wrote,
The grateful life is to remember Jesus and try to imitate him when we are no longer in control of our situations, be they personal, or family or other occasions of loss. Of course, this does not mean that we remain in destructive situations or that we allow others to take away our integrity. But so often we must suffer loss and breakage, not because we deserve them but because of our human weakness. God is close to the brokenhearted and will support us as we forgive those who wound us. In moving from resentment to gratitude we tap into deep waters of inner freedom and love.
It is always such a shock when we are hurt, especially by someone we love. When sorting through conflict or broken relationships, we must stay spiritually centered. Instead of seeing hardship as a sign of God's absence, we must learn to see it through the lens of faith. God can use our struggles to draw us closer to Christ. Though God does not want us to suffer, God can use our pain and transform it into wisdom, patience, humility, forgiveness and love.
Jesus was not exempt from broken relationships, nor will we be. We must learn to grow through human brokenness to discover new life. Jesus teaches us that we can become better instead of bitter when we are hurt or wounded. During Holy Week, we remember how Christ encountered betrayal and abuse with divine grace. Regardless of what was said or done to him, Jesus refused to stop loving others. Through Christ's enduring spirit, we can practice gratitude instead of resentment. Through faith, we can taste the sweet waters of Christ's love instead of the sour vinegar of self-pity, self-righteous anger and revenge.
Weekly Challenge: Be grateful! Thank God throughout the day for the gift of life and love. Pray for people or situations that irritate you. Ask God to help you become better instead of bitter.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Lenten Discussion
Luke 21:1-8 Wild Generosity
Do what you can, where you are, with what you have. Theodore Roosevelt
This week sermon focuses on the widow who placed two coins in the temple treasury. According to Jesus, her small gift was better than the larger gifts offered by the wealthy.
Sometimes we diminish the power of our gifts because we don't think we have enough to make a difference in the world. "I don't have enough time. I don't have enough money. I don't have enough energy." We lament. We whine. We bemoan our inability to be effective disciples. But when we simply do what we can, where we are, with what we have, God's transforming power is unleashed in our world. God knows our limits better than we do. God will not ask more of us than we can do. We simply need to trust in his power to work through us. Even on those days when we wake up tired and grumpy, God can still use us. Regardless of how we feel, we can act in faith instead of wallowing in self-pity.
Henry Nouwen wrote, A grateful life is one in which we receive our gifts, lift them up to God trusting they will multiply.
Just for today, let us convey our gratitude by sharing the joy of life with others--- where we are with what we have.
Challenge: Name at least one thing you can do to share the joy of life today.
Do what you can, where you are, with what you have. Theodore Roosevelt
This week sermon focuses on the widow who placed two coins in the temple treasury. According to Jesus, her small gift was better than the larger gifts offered by the wealthy.
Sometimes we diminish the power of our gifts because we don't think we have enough to make a difference in the world. "I don't have enough time. I don't have enough money. I don't have enough energy." We lament. We whine. We bemoan our inability to be effective disciples. But when we simply do what we can, where we are, with what we have, God's transforming power is unleashed in our world. God knows our limits better than we do. God will not ask more of us than we can do. We simply need to trust in his power to work through us. Even on those days when we wake up tired and grumpy, God can still use us. Regardless of how we feel, we can act in faith instead of wallowing in self-pity.
Henry Nouwen wrote, A grateful life is one in which we receive our gifts, lift them up to God trusting they will multiply.
Just for today, let us convey our gratitude by sharing the joy of life with others--- where we are with what we have.
Challenge: Name at least one thing you can do to share the joy of life today.
Lenten Discussions
Luke 13:1-9 Productive Faith
Jesus calls us to nourish our souls with divine love and hope so that our lives can bear the fruit of divine love. Jesus tells his followers to repent or perish. What areas of your life would you like to change? What stops you from doing it? Many of us would love to find the time to nourish our souls, but we are too busy. Nurturing a spiritual life is a tall order when you have a job, a family and a house to maintain. How can we find balance when daily demands are constantly pressing in on us?
I am going to start by giving up worry and picking up gratitude instead. Precious life energy can be exhausted by nothing more than worry. Though I hate to admit it, I often worry about things that don't matter in God's kingdom. The world won't end if the kitchen isn't mopped, if you can't walk through my children's bedroom or if there are crumbs all over the back of the mini-van. Sometimes we can become infested with worry pests that destroy the fruit of the spirit God wants to grow within us. Excessive worry about what other people think, about an honest mistake, or about an uncertain future can pull up the roots of our faith. Instead of being planted firmly in the soil of divine love, and showered by divine love, we can feel torn, scattered, and washed away from our true values. In that state, we can hardly bear fruit.
Repent or perish, Jesus said. Just for today I am going to practice gratitude instead of worry.
If you could change anything to nourish your soul today what would it be? Why not do it?
Jesus calls us to nourish our souls with divine love and hope so that our lives can bear the fruit of divine love. Jesus tells his followers to repent or perish. What areas of your life would you like to change? What stops you from doing it? Many of us would love to find the time to nourish our souls, but we are too busy. Nurturing a spiritual life is a tall order when you have a job, a family and a house to maintain. How can we find balance when daily demands are constantly pressing in on us?
I am going to start by giving up worry and picking up gratitude instead. Precious life energy can be exhausted by nothing more than worry. Though I hate to admit it, I often worry about things that don't matter in God's kingdom. The world won't end if the kitchen isn't mopped, if you can't walk through my children's bedroom or if there are crumbs all over the back of the mini-van. Sometimes we can become infested with worry pests that destroy the fruit of the spirit God wants to grow within us. Excessive worry about what other people think, about an honest mistake, or about an uncertain future can pull up the roots of our faith. Instead of being planted firmly in the soil of divine love, and showered by divine love, we can feel torn, scattered, and washed away from our true values. In that state, we can hardly bear fruit.
Repent or perish, Jesus said. Just for today I am going to practice gratitude instead of worry.
If you could change anything to nourish your soul today what would it be? Why not do it?
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