185 - Being able to help others in trials.

'...weep with those who weep...' (Romans 12:15)

Suffering is not pleasant - to put it mildly. It was never intended to be part of life.

But God, sovereign, marvellous, amazing, whose ways are higher than ours, is able to take our sufferings and use them for good. 

So that the man who overspent and got into debt when he was young could advise his son later in life and stop him from making the same mistake. 

So that the mother who lost her child could comfort her friend who just suffered a miscarriage.

There are other ways He can use trials for good, but being able to help others is just one of them. 

I've personally experienced this and it doesn't take away the pain of suffering... but it helps. 

Thank you God for the times we can help and empathise with others. 

184 - Saying sorry first

'So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.' (Matt 5:23-24)

Arguments are horrible, and they can leave both sides feeling angry, bitter...and self-righteous. Both feel they're in the right and that it was all the other person's fault.

I speak from experience of course. I'm sad to say I've often been that proud person.

But what is amazing is when the Holy Spirit reaches past that coldness and touches your heart. When He shows you that it takes two to fight. That even if the other person might have started it, you carried it on.

You're both guilty. But God made sure you could both be forgiven.

We can be thankful when the Holy Spirit reminds us of this truth. And thankful when He gives us the power to do one of the hardest things - say sorry first. Swallowing our pride, going out to seek that person, apologising (genuinely, not just a "Sorry if I made you angry...") and not being sure how they'll react. Not everyone says "I'm sorry too" or "That's OK."

But we can be thankful to God that, either way, He helped us do the right thing.

And that He always forgives, even if humans don't.

183 - Daily grace.

'...His mercies...are new every morning...' (Lamentations 3: 22-23)

A few weeks ago I was rather morbidly reflecting on how I could pinpoint some of the ways I messed up as a Christian, day by day. 

On the Sunday, I was jealous. 

On the Monday, I was bitter and angry with someone.

On the Tuesday, I was a coward and lost a chance to get to know someone better at work. 

BUT...

God does not look at my failures. He looks back about 2000 years to the day His Son bled on a cross. 

Hear Him whisper:

'This drop of blood is for her jealousy...this for her bitterness...this for her fear...'

He died for each sin before I was even born. I can be forgiven the second after I mess up. 

Thank goodness it doesn't depend on me!

Thank you God that your grace never runs out. Thank you that my sin can never exceed your forgiveness. Thank you for mercies anew!

182 - The paradoxes of Christ

'...For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.' (Colossians  1: 19-20)

Consider Christ.

We couldn't have made Him up.

Man and God.

King of the Universe, born in a manager among animals.

He who walked among the angels kept company with tax collectors, sinners and a bunch of fishermen who must've been some of the most irritating men in Galilee

He fed 5000 people with a few loaves and fish, yet He refused the temptation to turn rocks into bread.

He held little children in His arms and chased grown men out the temple with a whip.

A King who came not to be served, but to serve.

He could command legions of angels - and yet He died at the hands of men.

He died and lives.

Merciful, He gives men the chance to repent - and one day He will be a stern Judge on those who refuse.

Thank you God for Jesus Christ, your son. Thank you for our King beyond imagination!

181 - When bad dreams are just dreams

This might seem a small thing to you, but some dreams can be genuinely horrible.

They range from minor worries - being late for work - to larger worries - bank card getting stolen - to the deepest terrors we have - the loss of loved ones.

Someone once told me that dreams are a manifestation of our fears - which proves I have quite a lot.

Anyway, the relief that comes from waking up is a pretty great feeling.

I think we can be thankful that bad dreams are just dreams, because they're a reminder that sometimes we can make our fears too big - and that with God in charge, all our fears can be as fleeting as a bad dream.

Because who's going to care about bank cards a few years into eternity?

180 - Finishing a Project.

'So he built the house and finished it...' (1 Kings 6:9)

When we were made in the image of God, part of His character that He put into us, was our ability to create. 

But not just this. To complete.

There is a sense of satisfaction that comes from finishing a project, standing back and taking pleasure in the result of your hard work. 

Baking a cake. 

Putting up some shelves. 

Completing an essay. 

The list could go on. 

My current project - a completed first draft of my novel! Quite excited. (Now editing starts...)

Of course, often we don't feel complete satisfaction. We can sometimes think there's room for improvement. But we can be grateful still. Grateful God gave us the ability to learn, to keep on getting better. 

Thank you God for making us creative - for the satisfaction of completing something. 

Thank you that one day, your Creation will be perfect and complete - as you intended it to be. 

179 - The Men and Women of Faith

'Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation.' (Hebrews 1:1-2)

'...since we are surrounded by great a cloud of witnesses...' (Hebrews 12:1)

I've really neglected this blog - again!

My excuse this time? A new job. Definitely reason for thanks!

So, the men and women of faith...

In our church student group, we've been studying Hebrews. Such a great book, encouraging us to live a life of faith. And one of the ways it does that is by reminding us of men and women in the past who lived by faith. 

Abel. Enoch. Noah. Abraham. Sarah... The list goes on!

One of the things I find encouraging about this list is that these men and women - famous names in the Bible - were human beings just like us. They made mistakes just like us. 

Noah got drunk. Abraham slept with his wife's maidservant. Sarah laughed in disbelief when she heard God's promise that she would have a child. 

And yet...in these pages, they are not condemned for their mistakes. They are praised for their faith. 

And if we put our trust in Jesus, God promises us the same. He promises to remember our sins no more. 

That moment of doubt? Forgiven. Forgotten. 

That harsh word? Forgiven. Forgotten. 

But that choice to stand  when others wouldn't...that faith, no matter how shaky...He loves that. He blesses us for that. 

What a generous God! We don't deserve such goodness, and yet we receive it anyway. 

Thank you God for the men and women of faith, who wait for us in Heaven. 

178 - Finding discounts and cheap things

Money can be one of the biggest causes of worry in our lives.

That's why it's always kind of nice when we find cheap or reduced things.

It's a treat when Mum comes home with bags of discounted food - yummmmm.

Most of my wardrobe are charity shop clothes or Primark clothes - cheap.

Thank you God for the treat of cheap things.

177 - The ability to memorise

'I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.' (Psalm 119:11) 

The human brain has to be one of the most amazing parts of the body. God really created a complex and brilliant organ when he made the brain. 

For example, think of how much information it is capable of memorising. 

Revision notes for an exam, pin numbers, shopping lists, phone numbers - to name a few. 

But our ability to memorise is best used in remembering Bible verses. 

One verse can hold so much truth and can be used right when you need it most. Even Jesus quoted Bible verses when He was being tempted in the desert. 

Thank you God for brains which are capable of holding your precious Word - our 'sword of the Spirit'. 

176 - Central Heating

Sometimes winter seems to last forever. Don't get me wrong, I love all the seasons, but I get cold very easily.

So, when I come in through the front door, bundled in coat, scarf and gloves, but with a face so chilly it feels numb, it's lovely being able to come into a warm house.

But I can forget that many can't afford central heating. I can forget there are many homeless on the street who only have the protection of a sleeping bag.

I am grateful we can afford to live in a house with central heating. I am grateful it was invented, so we can stay warm in these cold months.

Thank you God!

175 - God took the initiative.

'...but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.' (Romans 5:8)

I previously wrote a blog post on God choosing us (107, if you're interested). 

But...do we stop and think about the fact He chose us first? 

How does Spurgeon (whose words are better than mine) put it...

'...not only is the mercy which you and I have received undeserved, but it was unasked. It is true you sought for mercy but not till mercy first sought you...You would have been still today hardened in heart, without God, and without Christ, had not free grace saved you. Can you be proud then?-proud of mercy which, if I may use the term, has been forced upon you?-proud of grace, which has been give you against your will, until your will was changed by sovereign grace?...all the mercy you have you once refused...Is your name written in his book? Ah! there was a time when, if it had been in your power, you would have erased the sacred lines that contained your own salvation...' 
(Sermon no. 233)


Thought-provoking, hmm? 

The song All I Have is Christ (Sovereign Grace Music) puts it another way. 

'...if you had not loved me first, I would have refused you still.' 

There was nothing about us that explains why God chose to sacrifice His own Son for us. It's not free grace. It's grace at a massive cost to our King. 

Why pay that price for people who hated Him? 

Well...it's because it's not about us. 

He took the initiative to save us...because He is good. He is loving. 

And we thank Him for that!