Do you notice the people around you who are suffering, lonely, deprived, friendless, homeless, jobless, and in pain? It helps us put things into perspective when we see what others are going through and it helps us realize how much we have to be grateful for. Look at all the blessings that you rush by ever day in your hurry to get to work, school, church, activities, concerts, conferences, etc… You have so much to be thankful for, but can you see it?
Perhaps we do realize our blessings and that we are much better off than the guy on the street. But once you realize that, are you selfish and keep all the blessings and joys of life to yourself or do you share them openly with those around you?
If you have a steady income how much of that is being invested, if any, to bless others? Remember it is more blessed to give then to receive.
If you have more friends then you know what to do with, ask yourself; “Am I giving or taking in these relationships?” If I have so much coming in then I should have almost an equal amount going out. We should never get to the place where we have no time for others or no desire to befriend others because we don’t need any more friends. Whether or not you need friends, have you considered the fact that someone else might need your friendship?
The world doesn’t revolve around you. Start trying to think about others more than yourself. Make time in your schedule to reach out on a personal basis. Think about trying to bless rather than to be blessed. Try to reach out beyond your comfort zone to the old, young, church goers, sinners, popular, unpopular, aged, invalid, mentally disabled, broken, weary, and the needy.
The second commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself; your neighbor is EVERYONE God puts in your path. If you can take you can give. Even when you are in the middle of a crisis, think of others who may have been through or are going through the same and seek to minister and sympathize rather than becoming self-focused and full of self pity. Get your focus off yourself and onto someone else.
If you find this difficult to do or hard to find the time, energy, money, etc… perhaps you are striving for something a little too big or trying to do it on your own strength. God will always give you enough strength for the tasks He has assigned you to. There are a million and one little ways you can touch someone’s life by doing and spending very little. So be creative! You can bless on a much smaller level and work up to greater things.
God never asks you to love yourself and look after number one before anything else. He says; “Keep your eyes on me, keep your heart in submission to me, love others and trust me to take care of the rest.” If you do this, you will see God’s blessing upon your life time and time again. You will have so much to thank Him for that you won’t be able to hold it all inside, you’ll just have to share it with others.
The world doesn’t revolve around you. Start trying to think about others more than yourself. Make time in your schedule to reach out on a personal basis. Think about trying to bless rather than to be blessed. Try to reach out beyond your comfort zone to the old, young, church goers, sinners, popular, unpopular, aged, invalid, mentally disabled, broken, weary, and the needy.
The second commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself; your neighbor is EVERYONE God puts in your path. If you can take you can give. Even when you are in the middle of a crisis, think of others who may have been through or are going through the same and seek to minister and sympathize rather than becoming self-focused and full of self pity. Get your focus off yourself and onto someone else.
If you find this difficult to do or hard to find the time, energy, money, etc… perhaps you are striving for something a little too big or trying to do it on your own strength. God will always give you enough strength for the tasks He has assigned you to. There are a million and one little ways you can touch someone’s life by doing and spending very little. So be creative! You can bless on a much smaller level and work up to greater things.
God never asks you to love yourself and look after number one before anything else. He says; “Keep your eyes on me, keep your heart in submission to me, love others and trust me to take care of the rest.” If you do this, you will see God’s blessing upon your life time and time again. You will have so much to thank Him for that you won’t be able to hold it all inside, you’ll just have to share it with others.
So bless and be blessed, give whether or not you receive and give thanks for the opportunity to give back all that has been given to you.
Take a moment to observe the blessings around you. Once you've done this, please leave me a comment and let me know how you are being blessed and how you plan to return the blessing to others.
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