Tag: Thankfulness

Being a Blessing – Jeremiah 29:1–14

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

This passage is very specific about timing and context. God is speaking to people who have been forcibly removed from their home and are living under a foreign power. False prophets were telling them that rescue was coming quickly, that Babylon would fall, and that triumph would come soon.

God corrects that message directly. The exile would last longer than they wanted, and instead of resisting or withdrawing, they were commanded to build lives, raise families, pray for Babylon, and seek its welfare. That would have been a hard message to hear. God does promise restoration, but not before calling his people to be faithful right where they were.

Reading this today, I cannot help but think about how easy it is to speak negatively about the place I live. It is common to focus on what is wrong, what feels broken, or what we disagree with. Yet God did not tell his people to undermine Babylon or curse it. He told them to pray for it and contribute to its good. Their well-being was tied to the well-being of the place they lived, even though it was not their ideal home, or even a place that honored God. That principle still matters. Christians are called to be a stabilizing and hopeful presence, not a hostile one.

What I need to do is be intentional about making the place I am in better because I am in it. People rarely respond well to constant opposition, but they do notice humility, service, and positivity. God is often known to outsiders through the way his people live among them. I want to be clearer about what I am for, not just what I am against, and to be a blessing even when I disagree. That kind of action is not as flashy, but it is deeply biblical.

Watchfulness – 1 Peter 5:6–11

1 Peter 5:8 (NIV)
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

The original readers of this passage were living with real danger. Following Jesus was not just inconvenient or unpopular; it could expose them to suffering, imprisonment, or death. When Peter warned them about the devil prowling like a lion, they may not have thought first about temptation in a private sense. They likely thought about exposure, betrayal, and physical harm. In that light, Peter’s call to humility, shared suffering within the Christian community, and God’s promise to restore and strengthen them makes a lot of sense. This was not abstract theology. It was instruction for survival and faithfulness.

My own suffering is far smaller by comparison, but that does not mean it is meaningless to God. It is easy to treat my own struggles as the center of the story. Peter reminds me that suffering does not make me exceptional, and blessing does not make me entitled. I have far more to be thankful for than I usually acknowledge, and humility keeps that gratitude honest.

What I need to do is stay humble and alert without being afraid. I am not facing threats to my life because of my faith, but I do face dangers of pride, distraction, and drifting away. The enemy often works more subtly now, through self-focus rather than fear. Humility is the safeguard. God is strong enough to protect, restore, and establish me. My role is to trust him, remain watchful, and remember who I am and who he is.

Put on Love – Colossians 3:12–17

Colossians 3:12 – “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

This passage reads like straightforward instruction, and in many ways it is. Paul lays out what a life shaped by Christ should look like, not in abstract terms but in everyday behavior. Forgiveness stands at the center of it. Being forgiven by God while refusing to forgive others simply does not fit within the way God works. Love, gratitude, and forgiveness are not optional traits here. They are commanded because they reflect the character of Christ himself.

What strikes me is how closely thankfulness and forgiveness are tied together. People who are thankful tend to be more generous and more patient with others. They are usually easier to be around. I want to be that kind of person. The challenge, of course, is that this is often hardest with the people closest to me. This passage reminds me that Christlike love does not stop at the edges of convenience. If I want to live in a way that reflects Jesus, then forgiveness, gratitude, and love have to show up consistently, especially at home.

The Lord Is My Portion – Psalm 16

Psalm 16:8 – “I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”

This Psalm paints a picture of steady confidence in God’s care. The writer keeps coming back to what God provides: protection, wisdom, guidance, and peace. What stands out is that the focus is not just on what God does, but on the proper response to it. Praise flows naturally from trust. God is seen not as a backup plan, but as the source of everything good.

For me, this passage is a reminder that God will never abandon his people. He is faithful to provide direction and wisdom when I ask, even when I am not seeing it, and he guards my life in ways I often take for granted. It is easy to fixate on circumstances and worry about all that I lack and the things I don’t have, but this psalm keeps pulling my attention back to God’s goodness. Whether life feels smooth or uncertain, the heart of the passage is gratitude. God himself is the gift, and everything else flows from that.