Are you a cheerless Christian?

July 31, 2025

Maria Blessings, God's gifts, Psalm 126, Thankfulness , , , , Leave a comment

The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Psalm 126:3 NIV

In a few days, my good friend will celebrate her wedding anniversary with her sweet husband. As I’ve been praying for her, I came across this beautiful verse in the Psalms. How appropriate it is for a couple’s reflections on their shared life or for someone enjoying their birthday.

Mike and I have been married almost 46 years and we can say with grateful hearts that the Lord has worked marvelously in our lives. And no, I’m not overlooking the painful months and years. But the good far outweighs the troubles!  

Spurgeon has reflected that often Christians go around gloomy, consumed with problems, oblivious to God’s goodness. That should not be!  If anyone is in Christ, then he has experienced a wonderful transformation of his status. For sure THAT qualifies as a great thing. Besides, what kind of calling card are we Christians if we talk about our woes all the time?  Or wear a cheerless countenance? 

For one, we all know that a thankful heart is good medicine. But more importantly, the Father delights in giving His kids good gifts. Learning graciously to receive them makes Him happy.  

So, recall some of God’s recent blessings and put a smile on your face! You never know who might ask you why you’re so happy, opening a door to the Gospel.

Are your expectations robbing you of joy?

November 10, 2021

Maria Blessings, God's gifts, Grace, Gratitude, Joy , 4 Comments

“Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall enjoy everything.” (Attributed to Francis of Assisi)

Mike read this quote out loud to us the other night. I couldn’t find any attribution to it on line, but no matter.  Whoever said it, I bless, for it gave me pause.

He and I talked a bit about what it would be like to live expecting nothing. For instance, upon awakening, the electricity to light and warm our house would be pure gift. Everything that worked and started up right away from the shower, to the coffee pot, to the phone to the car, all added blessings. Walking with no pain.  Arriving on time. Peace in our neighborhood. Mental clarity. Restful sleep. Fingers that work. Safety while worshipping. Harmony in relationships. Clean water. Glasses that enable me to see. Pain medication. The list of gifts extends.

Tuesday, Vera, my 9-year-old granddaughter and I were scheduled to connect by Zoom for a French lesson. But Graham texted about 5 minutes before our start time to say he was trying to get the internet back on.  I kept the Zoom room open, but 20 minutes later he sent an update.  “No internet possible today. Repairman will come out tomorrow.” So much for our French lesson.

When I shared what happened with Mike, he responded, “Wow, I am so glad this didn’t happen when were took care of the girls in October and I worked from their house!”

I realized how we had taken functioning internet for granted. Had this situation occurred while our son and his wife were away, Mike and I would have had to scramble to figure out what to do. Sure, he could have looked for a Starbucks that allowed customers to sit inside and use their internet. But their download and upload speeds are not necessarily fast.  Besides, Mike hosted several online collaborative meetings, totally inappropriate in public spaces.

Just that one brief reflection caused me to see how much we both take for granted. Just remove any one of those blessings, and watch how we respond.  Ah yes, the power of unmet expectations to poison our mood.


So, I ask, is it possible for us to arise each morning and receive the day ‘naked’, not counting on any created thing to ‘work’ or ‘respond’ a certain way?

Only one thing, one person is worthy of ‘counting on’ and that is our triune God.  We make a prideful assumption when we expect something to work, someone to treat us well and act like they always have.  Add to that the expectation of not meeting up with any roadblocks or obstacles each day.  That is no recipe for enjoying life.

Holy Spirit, keep me practicing this kind of reflection!