Paul writes, "do not be anxious, but make your needs known... with thanksgiving." So does gratitude save us, grant us inner peace and stability, joy and sense of purpose because it is one human emotion in which we are clearly called out of ourselves, caught up with God and life. Gratitude does it. But how to get it.
Through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit and the support of the community of faith that surrounds us, we find strength and courage to go on when those closest to us are taken away. No one knew this better than Horatio Spafford....
The Apostle Paul says, "In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." This is not a bromide. Paul does not stop there. He offers as the antidote to anxiety, what? "In nothing be anxious... pray." The discipline of prayer, he insists, is the answer to worry, the way to clarity of mind and heart.
Paul prays that God will increase the Thessalonians' love for one another, the easy part, but also, will increase their love for all. The hard part. Hard because it means making space for people you don't normally see. It could be the janitor in your office, or a waitperson at the restaurant, or the clerk in the pharmacy.
Paul offers a four-step equation to face adversity. A four-part harmony, just like a guitar chord, where each step Paul proposes is dependent upon the other three steps. You can't just do one; you need all four. 1. Do not worry about anything. 2. Pray about everything. 3. Be thankful. 4. We can have peace.
This is the part that intrigues me: How much could Paul have taught the Thessalonians in only three weeks? That's barely enough time to skim the surface. The answer lies in this: "…we were well pleased to impart to you, not the Good News of God only, but also our own souls …"
Paul acknowledges that we are creatures of conformity. He is saying, "You're going to copy. You're going to mimic someone's steps and mirror someone's movements. That's how we are as human beings. So if you're going to imitate somebody, go ahead and imitate me. Follow me as I follow Jesus."
The twentieth century may not have become "the Christian century" but the great missionary movement of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries has borne great fruit. The center of gravity for Christianity is moving to the southern hemisphere. The energy for Christian mission is coming from southern lands.
Didn't most of us know all along that neither Wall Street nor WalMart could ever hold the secret to real contentment! So now it's the perfect time to look to Jesus Christ as our source of strength and we'll find our life secured in the blessing of peace and contentment that only Christ can bring. Now, as always, it's time to rejoice in the Lord!
You and I may never get to be world-class athletes, but we CAN be world-class Christians. Listen to advice that comes from the Sports Psychologists and then baptize it - put it to work in the name of Jesus. First, SET GOALS. Second, FOCUS. Third, use a little STRESS. Finally, visualize yourself WINNING.