Good Morning Lovely Readers,
I hope you’ve had a great week! In The Screwtape Letters, C. S. Lewis wrote: “Gratitude looks to the Past and love to the Present; fear, avarice, lust, and ambition look ahead.” That couldn’t be a truer statement!
Gratitude looks to the past. “always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;” Ephesians 5:20 NASB ‘95
Notice it says all things. There is a reason and purpose for everything that happens in our lives.
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 NASB ’95
Can you be grateful for things that are planned? No. Those things haven’t happened yet. You can be grateful for the plan, but not something that hasn’t come to be.
Love looks to the present. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34 NASB ’95
We are told to love, from Jesus. Love in this verse is present tense and active. We can also be grateful for His love and the example He’s given us that shows us how to love.
Fear, avarice (covetousness), lust, and ambition look ahead. We are told over and over in Scripture not to fear, not to covet, not to lust, and not to seek our own way.
“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34 NASB ’95
“What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” James 4:1-4 NASB ’95
Lusting doesn’t always mean something sensual. When you want something so bad it consumes your thoughts, that’s lusting. It can be entertainment, a new computer, a car, a job, a person, or anything that’s consuming you. Coveting and lusting are cousins, very close cousins.
Ambition isn’t wrong if it’s for the glory of God. However, ambition can be birthed out of lusting, coveting, and even fear.
Let’s say I have a car I want to replace. My car is older and isn’t good in bad weather (and in Colorado, you need a vehicle that’s good in all kinds of weather that can surprise you anytime). So I start looking at cars—online and in person. I’ve found things I’m interested in, like really interested in. I’ve spent a lot of time on this. Then my husband’s car dies. Guess who’s getting the next car? Not me and let’s say I’m not happy about it. Picture pouting lip and lots of grumbling to myself. Cute picture, huh? Not so much.
In my example, I have fear, coveting, lusting, and ambition in which none of them are Biblical responses.
I want (not need) to replace my car. Just because a vehicle is older doesn’t make it bad. And new tires can really be helpful in bad weather. How much time did I spend (wasting) on this? Did things get put off because of becoming consumed with my ambitious pursuit of another vehicle? Buying a car requires a lot of research and figuring out what you want. Then when there becomes a need for someone else, I’m put out and mad instead of being loving and making sure someone else has what they need.
This example is a little exaggerated to show that fear, avarice (covetousness), lust, and ambition look ahead. And guess what this example is missing? Gratitude and love. Gratitude for the car I already have and love for my husband.
Fear, coveting, lusting, and unbiblical ambition can sneak up on you and catch you off guard.
So let’s be grateful for what God has done for us through His Son. And let’s be grateful for His blessings.
Love the Lord and one another as Jesus showed us. Be in the present.
And let tomorrow be where it belongs … tomorrow.
You know what happens when we let gratitude and love live in our lives—peace… joy… fellowship with God.
I hope you have an awesomely blessed week!
by His grace,
Jodi
“Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” Philippians 4:5-8 NASB ’95
