Be Careful of What You Throw Away

I Thessalonians 5:18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

Sarah was on her early morning constitutional—that’s a walk, for you young’uns—when she saw her friend, Ann, throw down a bag of trash and collapse on her driveway. She ran to her to offer comfort and a hug. Her friend, near tears, haltingly said, “I’m exhausted, confused and didn’t know what to do, so I cleaned out some trash.” Then, trying to smile, she asked Sarah in for some coffee and advice; a not uncommon event for these two.

Ann was very upset, so Sarah offered to make the coffee. After a calming silence, Ann explained her dilemma—a cloud hung over her children, her husband, her work, her life.

Sarah recognized a common thread seen in other friends—doubt and despondency were becoming rampant. A scripture verse came to mind: Give thanks in all circumstances. It had helped her in similar times, but would Ann listen.

She started softly, with love in her heart, “Ann, do something for me.” When Ann nodded, Sarah continued, “Tell me one thing for which you are grateful.” And a slow conversation developed into a litany of people and events which enriched Ann’s life. A friend was a true friend that day.

Sarah might have said, “Hold fast to what is good. Don’t throw away the spirit of gratitude. Don’t let the world confuse you about what is worthy and what is worthless. Test everything by the measuring stick of Christ’s sacrificial love.” One maybe told a story.

There is an old legend that tells about a man who came to the barn where Satan stores the seeds that he scatters across the earth. The two most abundant seeds were bitterness and discouragement. He asked the keeper about them. “Oh yes,” came the reply, “bitterness and discouragement are the most effective seeds. They will grow almost anywhere.” He hesitated, and then added, “However, there is one place where the seeds of bitterness and discouragement will not grow. They will not grow in a heart of gratitude.”

Are you having feelings of discouragement or depression?  Are you feeling caged in or throttled? Do you have a ‘Sarah’ in your life to talk to? You can go to the Comforter who was sent by God for times like these. Thank God! He’s only a prayer away.

Remember, we serve God out of gratitude for what he has already done for us on the cross. Don’t throw away the spirit of gratitude.

Read Paul’s final exhortations in I Thessalonians 5:12-22.  Go ahead. You can do it. It was written for you … and me.

Watch this. It’s only 2 minutes. Oh, go ahead.

Now, open your heart and feel grateful for this day, the beauty of this planet, the people we meet.

If you watch this without smiling, quick, call your doctor.