Listening to the Holy Spirit:
What do you see? The day I have given is gift again, but in normalcy lost. So blessed are My children, that they themselves surrounded and supported, without means to count, miss the very hand of the Father on them. Are you too missing the deep blessing of this day? Are you missing the life breathed in? Each day of the earth flees with little notice. Open again the eyes of the child of My creation. Within you there is still My child. Enjoy the pleasures I bring. See the good, for it still flourishes, even among thorns and thistles there is fruit still, splendor beyond the destruction. Look higher to My face. I am seen in the beauty placed before you. Breathe in My Spirit through all that is good that holds you. Be not conformed to this world, but be made free in My love, My provision for you, and your great value within My creation. Look not only on the drudgery, but lift up, that you might be refreshed.
Phil 4:8 (ESV) – Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Ephesians 5:20 (ESV) – Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
James 1:17 (ESV) – Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change
Taking It to Work:
Someone told me at one time, that a fish doesn’t know its wet. I feel similar to that sometimes. Like you, I am so surrounded with blessings, day in and day out, yet I can go for weeks not thanking, or even thinking of how blessed I really am.
One of the main wellsprings of blessing in our lives is our work. Maybe not the work itself, but the fruits of having that work. Our paychecks flow into our lives in a hundred different ways. Our home, our car, the gas in the car, the food in the fridge, the gift we give at Christmas, even the taxes that we pay for the paved roads to our house, and the police and fireman that are on call for us 24/7 if we were to need them. So much…from one job, given to us ultimately from God.
I am continually amazed at my ability to so easily lose sight of all these great things. With one flat tire, one lost opportunity, or one slightly overcooked steak, and there I go, staring and griping at the one little thing that is not perfect.
In the workplace it can be like that as well. Twenty things can go perfectly, but we can be so quickly absorbed by one bad comment, situation or person, that we can completely lose sight that it was a pretty good day. If unchecked, that one bad day can ruin the week, and before you know it, all you see in your job is the negative.
It’s easy to do when we are busy and just not aware. Like the fish oblivious of the water around it that sustains its life, the constant busyness of life and work can cause us to whip through days and weeks with our focus only slowing down on what went wrong.
Consider dedicating the rest of this week to being intentional in seeing the good, honorable and commendable things that surround you, especially your job, and all it brings to your life. It will be good for you, and me, as His Word works in us, today.
