As the holidays are approaching, we go from the spooky fun of “what will I be?” To the fast movement to the Christmas spirit of, “I wonder what will be under the Christmas tree?”
What happened to Thanksgiving, a thankful heart, a faithful heart?
Today’s society has us fueling our trains on our feelings or false facts, leaving out what truly fuels the train and that is faith.
Without my faith through all the obstacles I have faced, I wouldn’t have a thankful heart.
You can’t shovel faith into false facts in order to receive positive feelings.
Martin Luther once said, “Our culture and society practices that under the control of Satan and thus opposed to God.”
This past Sunday, my Pastor Josh Lein preached on faith, and as I was trying to come up with what to write on, I wanted to share this.
All the years working in retail, you see shelves change as seasons jump, you see the stress on ones face at this time of the year cause we jump past Thanksgiving We get off track we loose the thought of faith and thankfulness.
We fuel our train by how society runs.
A life in faith is the victory that overcomes the world because faith banks on promises of God, when we place our trust in God’s promises, our faith becomes a force that can conquer any obstacle.
There is a time for everything; Ecclesiastes 3 reminds us of this.
Again, you can’t shovel faith into false facts in order to receive positive feelings.
When I went and spoke at the Missouri Department of Corresctions, I was asked by an inmate how do I remain strong? I responded back, “With my faith; and without that, I wouldn’t be thankful for who I am today.”
If I ran my train on nothing but feelings and false facts my train would never move. Every day is a struggle, but I remain in faith and look at all with a thankful heart.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 doesn’t say sometimes be joyful, only pray when in need, and only be thankful in the good. It says to always be joyful, and to never stop praying, Be thankful in all circumstances.
Allow your train to be fueled with the coals of faith.
I would like to end this on a 30-day challenge, not only this day but every day — find something for which to be thankful.
Pick one of the five and every morning or any time of the day and pray on one of these: 1. I am a child of God — “Everyone who believes has become a child of God.”
2. I have eternal life — This is what God testified 3. God answers my prayers — “Confident that he hears us when we ask for anything that pleases him.” 1 John 4. I have victory over the world — Every child defeats this evil world, and achieve this thru faith.
5. I am protected from the evil one — Anyone of God does not continue to sin; the one born of God keeps them safe and evil cannot harm them.
Holly Rivera is a member of Celebrate Recovery, does outreach for Barry and Lawrence County Narcan Outreach and helps lead recovering addicts in paths forward. She is 16 years clean from methamphetamine and 3 years sober from alcohol, as well as a public speaker on the topic of addiction and recovery. Rivera may be reached at hollyrivera21@gmail.com.
