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 The Gifts that Keep on Giving
If God wore a Santa Suit and rode into town with his sled being pulled by his Angels, what would he carry in his big red “God Bag?”
Would the gifts he placed beneath our Christmas Trees be anything like what we would place for ourselves or others? Would there be a large box with those great fall boots you have been eyeing each time you go to the mall, the latest entertainment game your teenager has been keeping his grades up for, the popular lights and sound toy you just had to get your toddler, the tools your husband has been saying he needs all year, the ceramic mug with hot chocolate mix and a $10 gift card because you really didn’t know what else to buy that last minute guest?
Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control, are the Gifts That Keep On Giving. These are the gifts that would be overflowing God’s Big Bag, the Fruit of the Spirit.
Each of these fruits that God has gifted us with need our time, attention and diligence. Like a real fruit, they need to be planted, water and cultivated to be brought to maturity over time. The beauty of these wonderful fruits is that they are within reach of each of our hands, in season at all times, cost us nothing, and there are abundant opportunities to gift each of these to others in our daily life.
The challenge for this month and hopefully a New Year’s Resolution is for you to keep on giving your gifts throughout the entire year!
" It is not how much we do,
but how much love we put in the doing.
It is not how much we give,
but how much love we put in the giving."
- Mother Teresa
Love: This kind of Love is more then just an emotional feeling that we have all experienced. It is a kind of Love that looks beyond wrongdoings and forgives each time we are offended. We know how to Love our family and friends, yet is it so difficult Love our enemies? God wants us to Love everyone. Pray for those who have hurt or wronged you, forgive them with your gift of Love.
Joy: We all experience moments of Joy in our lives. The smallest of things such a day at the beach enjoying God’s creation, or a giggle of a child brings us Joy. This gift of Joy is much bigger and deeper then these. Experience the Joy of knowing that we are children of a mighty God. He is powerful and his strength is unsurpassed. Each second of our days are under his control, and we can always lean on him to support us. Get to know and experience the Joy of Our God, read his word so that you may use it any situation you face.
Peace: Peace that we are meant to experience derives from a relationship with God, ourselves and others. You can have Peace with God by knowing and trusting him wholeheartedly. By confessing your sins to God and receiving his forgiveness we receive his Peace within ourselves. With others, by not having problems with them and struggling in relationships Peace is experienced.
Patience: We have all had our Patience tested, both in waiting for something or not reacting to something/someone. Controlling our reactions and temper, and being gentle and slow to react in all circumstances will allow us to truly experience the gift of Patience.
Kindness: Being Kind to those close to us, and strangers seems like something we could easily accomplish however most of us have experienced the inability to be Kind. Consider how you can be Kinder to those that you encounter in your life. It will take an extra effort on your part but the rewards you will experience through the gift of Kindness will be wonderful.
Goodness: Take those extra moments and make more effort to demonstrate to others your Goodness. Don’t take those that you love for granted. Make a difference in your community and serve those who are in need. The gift of Goodness is just waiting to be used.
Faithfulness: Living and staying in God’s word is how we portray our Faithfulness. Being Faithful with every aspect of your life, in the good times and bad is how we devote ourselves to Jesus. The gift of Faithfulness allows us to surrender ourselves completely to God.
Gentleness: Speaking harsh or being abrasive to someone does not show God’s love. Remaining calm in any situation, humbling yourself, showing meekness is pleasing to God and ultimately allows you to be a better person. The gift of Gentleness can soften the hardest of hearts.
Self-Control: Temptations hover around us in every direction in our lives. We know what is right from wrong, it is important that we control our mental and physical self and turn away from temptation and wrong. The gift of Self-Control will keep us on the path that God has intended for us, and keep us from harms way.
Questions: Janel, 949.854.7030 x314 |
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