3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit. Colossians 1:
Paul had a habit of praying for the believers in whose lives he had invested. Whenever he did, his heart and mind moved into a mode of thanksgiving. He would think about their faith, love, and hope in Christ, and how God was changing their lives. And often he would think of those saints who were really making a difference. This all took time, to let his heart and mind go that direction. Thanksgiving is not a quick or automated response. It requires us taking the time to get there: in prayer and meditation, dwelling on the Grace of God in our lives and the lives of others. It means thinking enough about others to appreciate the blessing God has made them in our lives. Take the time today to get to thanksgiving.
No comments:
Post a Comment