Encouragement

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Psalm 103 says to bless the LORD, o my soul, and not to forget ALL His benefits (or His dealings). What a great example of how we can encourage ourselves by addressing our own souls! Another way of hearing this and interpreting it is like this: "Can we remember at least ONE or A FEW of the Lord's benefits? Do we have to forget ALL of them, which is certainly our tendency if left to ourselves.
Our tendency is to draw a complete blank when it comes to remembering God's goodness, maybe because we're not disciplining ourselves enough to look for practical expressions of that goodness and keep them in mind. Have you ever noticed an uncomfortable silence whenever there is a call for testimonies and praise reports! A jealousy rises up which can push us to our feet to say SOMETHING...ANYTHING for the glory of our loving GOD, Who is constantly up to good in our lives! Just one thanksgiving then becomes a foundation for many more to be built upon it, as the atmosphere of faith begins to grow. But so often the response is more animated if there is a call for prayer requests. We're so much more inclined to focus on our needs than on God's continuous provision for those needs.
Recently I couldn't find the Parade section in the Sunday paper so I was giving it up as a lost cause and about to toss the entire paper aside in frustration, when the paper slipped out of my hand and the various sections went scattering and fluttering over the living room rug. Then, right at my feet landed the Parade section all by itself and waiting to be opened! A little thing, but big in its power to encourage me and remind me that nothing is too little for God.

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