Today, I heard someone say how easy it is to take things for granted and what a shame that was...which got me to thinking...
Often, our human nature is to take for granted the people and things which are usually around us, but perhaps that's not all such a totally bad thing after all. Hmm...What do I mean?
Well, I think anyone who has suffered tragic loss or debilitating chronic illness or other life-altering negative circumstances has learned very well not to take anything or anyone for granted anymore. They no longer have the luxury of thinking that life is stable and relatively unchanging or that sudden, unexpected changes are usually pleasant (and that's not to say that God doesn't work good out of even the worst of our experiences, but there is a difference between something that is a positive event and one which is devastating and must be overcome and somehow turned into good). Of course, everyone sane person expects change throughout life, but I think that most are usually able to expect some stability without fearing that at every moment their life could be radically changed for the worse. However, I think that those who have best learned not to take things for granted anymore b/c of tragedy or long-term difficulties may often live with an undercurrent of fear - knowing full well that any day they could be facing more loss, more tragedy, more complications, etc. - and as a result, not taking things for granted anymore.
And while appreciating what blessings we have and highly valuing those whom we love is good, is it healthy to never take anything for granted, living with an undercurrent of fear that what we have may in the next breath be lost? Somehow, I think that while it's important to make the most of our short time on earth, at the same time I think that part of valuing what we've been given in life is to be able to enjoy and appreciate it as God intended and not to constantly fear its suddenly being taken away.
Maybe that doesn't make sense to most of you, but I think that true appreciation and value doesn't need to include fear of loss. So, while I agree that being thankful for what and who one has is healthy and good, so is taking things for granted a wee bit, just to the point that one can truly enjoy God's blessings without living in the shadow of fear...instead in the ripples of thankfulness.
Praise God, that He is always stable, always unchanging, never to be suddenly taken away, and never to be diminished in love, power, forgiveness, knowledge, mercy, or grace!
1 John 4:18: "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love."
James 1:17: "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow."
http://www.worshiptogether.com/songs/songdetail.aspx?iid=1794626
Often, our human nature is to take for granted the people and things which are usually around us, but perhaps that's not all such a totally bad thing after all. Hmm...What do I mean?
Well, I think anyone who has suffered tragic loss or debilitating chronic illness or other life-altering negative circumstances has learned very well not to take anything or anyone for granted anymore. They no longer have the luxury of thinking that life is stable and relatively unchanging or that sudden, unexpected changes are usually pleasant (and that's not to say that God doesn't work good out of even the worst of our experiences, but there is a difference between something that is a positive event and one which is devastating and must be overcome and somehow turned into good). Of course, everyone sane person expects change throughout life, but I think that most are usually able to expect some stability without fearing that at every moment their life could be radically changed for the worse. However, I think that those who have best learned not to take things for granted anymore b/c of tragedy or long-term difficulties may often live with an undercurrent of fear - knowing full well that any day they could be facing more loss, more tragedy, more complications, etc. - and as a result, not taking things for granted anymore.And while appreciating what blessings we have and highly valuing those whom we love is good, is it healthy to never take anything for granted, living with an undercurrent of fear that what we have may in the next breath be lost? Somehow, I think that while it's important to make the most of our short time on earth, at the same time I think that part of valuing what we've been given in life is to be able to enjoy and appreciate it as God intended and not to constantly fear its suddenly being taken away.
Maybe that doesn't make sense to most of you, but I think that true appreciation and value doesn't need to include fear of loss. So, while I agree that being thankful for what and who one has is healthy and good, so is taking things for granted a wee bit, just to the point that one can truly enjoy God's blessings without living in the shadow of fear...instead in the ripples of thankfulness.
1 John 4:18: "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love."
James 1:17: "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow."
http://www.worshiptogether.com/songs/songdetail.aspx?iid=1794626
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