7/4/26

Fill your heart...

Dear Friends,

We all need words to live by, to inspire us and guide us. Words to give us courage. Words of comfort and of courage filled with wisdom and with love. We need "Words" from His Word and from other believers. 

So begins a series of such "word helps" from the poet of yester year called "Helen Steiner Rice," (HSR). It is my prayer and hope that one or many of these "word helps" will do just that for you.

HSR wrote a poem titled "Fill Your Heart With Thanksgiving." Many wonderfully encouraging words are rendered in this particular poem but the first words are my focus today;

"Take nothing for granted, for whenever you do
The 'joy of enjoying' is lessened for you-"

Further, the last stanza of this poem emphasizes; "For the JOY of ENJOYING and the FULLNESS of LIVING are found in the heart that is filled with THANKSGIVING." 

Scripture gives this sentiment in 1 Thessalonians 5.18 by stating In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. As a believer, we take this truth into the very fiber of our being because life can be so hard. As a moral person, one understands being grateful keeps the spirit mostly peaceful. Noting the illustration here:

  • An empty heart is usually a dark heart. It is Full of negative, foreboding thoughts.
  • A heart half full, sort of grateful, somewhat thankful for the very air that clears one's lungs, still maintains a grudge about how one thinks things "should be." 
  • A full heart accepts the things that cannot be changed, changes the things that can be changed and acknowledges the wisdom to know the difference. The full heart has no room for negative thoughts and words.

We are also instructed in Ephesians 5.20 to give thanks for ALL things.  Further the book of Romans in 8.28, at least for the believer, directs that ALL things work together for good (specifically) to them that love God...

In a personal note, this bloggers heart struggles in the middle.  It seems things "should be this way or should've happened like this or that."  Thus clouding the mind, then the heart with a grudging attitude.  No help or peace thinking this way. 
Instead this blogger will pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide me and remind me that this is His way and it is always best.  
God bless and keep you...