The Attitude Of The Heart

The Attitude of the Heart

Illus. From a sermon of Johnny Creasong’s

Some people are just impossible to please....

A large dog walks into a butcher shop carrying a purse in its mouth. He puts the purse down and sits in front of the meat case.

“What is it, boy?" the butcher jokingly asks. "Want to buy some meat?" "Woof!" barks the dog. "Hmm," says the butcher.

“What kind? Liver, bacon, steak . . ." "Woof!" interrupts the dog. "And how much steak? Half a pound, one pound . . ." "Woof!"

The amazed butcher wraps up the meat and finds the money in the dog’s purse. As the dog leaves he decides to follow.

The dog enters an apartment house, climbs to the third floor and begins scratching at a door. With that, the door swings open and an angry man starts shouting at the dog.

"Stop!" yells the butcher. "He’s the most intelligent animal I’ve ever seen!"

“Intelligent?" says the man. "This is the third time this week he’s forgotten his key."

Some people are never happy, now matter how or what their circumstances are. It’s too this, it’s too that, not big enough or way too small.

Some consider their reasoning to be a logical and justifiable argument, to excuse their actions and attitude, for the way they look at things.

We’ve all seen that one person who has had everything in their life go wrong and every obstacle come against them and still somehow they have a good outlook and optimism about their life.

Mine are the kids from the commercials for Shriners and St Judes hospitals.

Its when we see those examples of courage and optimism, from their example of living with their disability, that speaks to our heart and turns our focus inward instead of outward.

Causing us to realize we really don’t have much or few valid reasons to truly complain about much of anything.

Thanksgiving reminds and allows us to do the self reflection once a year, we should be doing all year long.

The Bible tells us in 1st Thessalonians 5:18 NKJ

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Colossians 3:15,17 NKJ

15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Colossians 4:2 NKJ

2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;

Just because you’re a Christian, does it mean life is always going to be in the clouds?

Psalms 23 talks about David going through the valley of the shadow of death, but even then he didn’t fear what might happen, because of the Lord’s promise to walk beside him.

David had experienced so many victories in his life, 100’s possibly 1,000’s and yet there were still times his journey took him through the valleys of life as well as ours does!

Sometimes when you’re going through something and you wonder why, it’s a natural thing to want question why is this circumstance happening to me, or to my family?

But it’s also a great time to realize going through the valley expectation, means exactly what it says! The fact your going through something doesn’t mean you’re staying in it!

Sometimes we forget while things seem like they’re moving slowly, as long as we’re thankful and our faith remains in God, we’re still moving!

God is still working all things for our good behind the scenes, setting us up for our healing and our victory! TBS He is our ever present help in times of trouble!

Even though sometimes circumstances make it difficult to have hope and optimism. It’s in those times were still to be thankful!

Illus by Anne Benefield

There was a lady, who had been out of regular work for a couple of years. She found enough temporary work to stay a float, but it has sometimes been a week-to-week challenge to pay the bills.

She told one of the ladies in her prayer group, “I am walking through my worst fear. I can't explain it, but somehow each time I think I'm at the end of my finances, something comes through.

I think that God is teaching me to trust in Him. It isn't easy, but I'm walking through what I feared more than anything—-losing my career and livelihood. Somehow, through it all, I'm finding God.”

It’s in those times of trial, we are still to be thankful! The times we experience in the valleys of life, when we feel like all we have to hang onto is God.

Those are the times we should realize the only thing we have ever had to hang onto is God!