The Importance of Celebration

I talk to a lot of people each week and I have noticed a trend: Bad news seems to be ten times more common than good news.

Now, if you think about it, that is not true. In fact, most people are blessed beyond measure. However, we tend to notice and talk about the aspects of our lives that we dislike rather than focusing on what is good and right. We need to change this pattern.

Too often, we worry, fret, and wring our hands about what might go wrong, and then when it all works out, we barely notice. Instead, we often ignore the good outcome and move on to worrying about the next thing on our list. That is a hard way to live.

It is worth remembering that, in the Old Testament, God prescribed twelve different feasts and celebrations for his people. Some, such as the Sabbath, occurred every week. Others were once a year and one was celebrated every fifty years, but the point was the same: At prescribed times, God wanted his people to stop and be thankful for what they had received from him. He ordered that they hold festivals so that they would have a chance to share with each other and express their joy. Celebrations were part of their calendar and they contributed to the rhythm of their life.

We need to make a point of celebrating good things! It is too easy to overlook what we have and only think about what is missing.

Fortunately, you can make this change immediately. You do not need to wait. You do not need any special skills. You just need to make the choice.

In doing so, you will not only change your perspective, but you will also help others see the good that is around them as well.

Jesus said, “In this world, you will have trouble” (John 16:33). We cannot get away from that, but we do not have to focus on it either.

“With all my heart I praise the Lord, and with all that I am I praise his holy name! With all my heart I praise the Lord! I will never forget how kind he has been” (Psalm 103:1-2)

Comments

The Art of Noticing.... Seeing what we need to see and what we miss when we don't

What we focus on in life matters. Here are some scriptural reminders that will help us see correctly. https://youtu.be/Rn76tV0ZH8s

Consider This.... Which Way Are You Leaning?

When Ben Patterson agreed to join three friends climbing Mount Lyell, the highest point in Yosemite National Park, he did not realize what he was signing up for. Early in the day, it became clear that he was completely unprepared for the task. In an effort to keep up with his more experienced friends, Ben took a shortcut. It did not occur to him that there might be a reason the others had not selected this route, but he soon found out why. Ben became stuck on the glacier. He could not move up, down or sideways and one wrong move would send him sliding down a forty-five-degree slope to the valley floor miles below. That is when one of his friends came to the rescue. His buddy leaned over the edge and carved some footholds in the ice. He told Ben to step to the first foothold and immediately swing his other foot to the second, then his buddy would pull him to safety. Lastly, his friend gave him one more piece of advice....

Consider This: Press The Button!

Consider This: Press the Button! My favourite TV game show is Jeopardy. I used to like it even more when my kids were younger, because I could easily beat them and look smart. These days, after they have grown up and gone to university, it is much more difficult. However, Jeopardy is still the only game show I will watch. In a book I read, a contestant who did very well on the show shared the secret to his success. He said (and I am paraphrasing here), “You must press the button before you know the answer. Everyone on Jeopardy is smart. Everyone knows the answer. The key to winning is to act. You must jump in and press the button, assuming that your brain will catch up and supply the answer. If you wait until you are sure, you will be too late!” Press the button! Too often, we hesitate, not because we do not know what to do, but because we do not want to do it. Sometimes, we fail to act because we are not sure how the situatio...

Consider this

Subscribe

Get new posts by email:

Search This Blog