If God is at work in your life...
If you actually want to know God and be the person He created you to be...
Then you will strive to focus on Him. To think His thoughts. To know His truths. To "set your minds on things above."
That's part of the privilege, mystery, and challenge of prayer. We focus our mind on talking to God, praising God, asking questions of God - we are setting our minds on things above.
Hopefully, the more I do this, the more my prayers will be about what God wants, and the less they will be about the "things of earth" - the things I want...
Read that section from Colossians for today.
The whole section blends together... either you will set your hearts and life to pursue selfish desires... or you and I will put that old self "to death."
By God's grace (starting in verse 12), you'll see things like compassion, kindness, forgiveness, and love - those things become realities when we work together to focus our hearts on Jesus.
In verses 15-17, Paul mentions the idea of giving thanks to God. He mentions it three times. In your relationships, be grateful. In your songs and praises, be grateful. In whatever you do, give thanks to God.
Thoughts of thanksgiving should flow through in times of prayer and praise. Specifically, Paul is calling us to be thankful for the new life we can have in Christ. The new life apart from the addictions, the sins, the guilt, and the pain. The new life that is different from your past. The new life that just keeps giving you encouragement, life, and love from God and others.
When you pray, be thankful that God gives us that choice... to point our lives in His direction, and leave the past behind.
Dear God...
Thank you for letting us have the privilege of knowing you, reading your Word, drawing close to you, and celebrating the new life You have made available to us.
Thank you for giving me the strength to make right choices... Thank you for forgiving me when I've failed - and when I've made wrong choices.
Thank you, God, for surrounding me with friends who help encourage me in my faith... Help me encourage them too. Help me reach out and show them the joy and gratitude and love that is ours because of you.
God, help me just be a more grateful person - a stronger heart for thanksgiving and taking time like this to tell you what I'm thankful for. You are way, way too good to me.
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