Word from our Pastor
September 2020
Dear Friends,
Greetings in Jesus’ name!
An attitude of thanks and gratitude is very important for every human being as it affects us crucially. Ashley Elizabeth, (a Resilience Mastery Coach and Motivational Speaker) in her article “Gratitude is Essential” says, “Studies show that if you express gratitude, it raises your happiness by 25%. When you take a moment to give thanks for what you have, instead of ruminating on what you don’t have, it fills you up.”
An attitude of thanks and gratitude is very important for every human being.
She also acknowledges the fact that, “As humans, we are hardwired to dwell or fixate on the bad”. We know it is because of sinful nature in human beings, and we see its origin in Genesis chapter three. Consequently we find it difficult to be thankful or be grateful. All attempts will be trying to lift ourselves up by our own bootstraps.
To compound it we have been under stress and strain both in our homes and at our place of work; as individuals, and families and as a community of God’s people. One wonders if we can be grateful for anything. It is all the more difficult when we have lost our close and dear ones. But it is all the more necessary for us to consciously make efforts to be thankful as a Community of God’s people.
Praise God we can be thankful, because our attitude of gratitude or thankfulness comes from a source outside of us. It comes from God who is good, gracious, who shows steadfast love, is just and righteous and merciful and kind. We respond out of experience of this Awesome God. We are thankful because the Holy Spirit dwells in us and helps us to respond in thankfulness in all situations. God wants each one of us to be thankful. Paul in his epistle to the Thessalonian church says, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Th 5:18)
Our attitude of gratitude or thankfulness comes from God who is good, gracious, who shows steadfast love, is just and righteous and merciful and kind.
This month we will focus on being thankful and cultivate an attitude of gratitude. We will look at reasons for being thankful, the ways of expressing our thankfulness to God and people, the times when we can express our thankfulness and the results of thankfulness or gratitude.
We want to be a community that is passionately maturing in Christ and compassionately reaching out to the world for the glory of God. One more aspect of maturing in Christ is being a community that is thankful in all circumstances. Let us celebrate our God with thankful hearts and minds. Let our thankfulness be infectious in a world which is desperate for hope and light.
God Bless You as you stand firm in his Word and his love.
In Christ
Pastor John R. A. Simeon
(On behalf of the Pastoral Team)
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