29 Jesus replied,
As I got older, I began to appreciate the idea of giving gifts to others. Sure, opening a gift every now and then was fun, but I took greater pleasure from watching faces as they unwrapped something that I spent time trying to find especially for them. Giving became more fun than receiving. I had matured...become a little wiser... or maybe I had unlocked the difference between happiness and joy.
Giving to others brings us joy. When we give our time, talents, or resources so that others can benefit, we get the satisfaction of knowing that we are becoming more Christ-like. God blesses us with an inner joy that no person or situation can rob us of. Selfishness, on the other hand, only brings temporary happiness. We get...we want more. We want more...we don't appreciate what we have. We don't appreciate what we have...we stress. We stress...we suffer. Selfishness leads to suffering... everytime.
Last weekend, Pastor Troy said that the happiest people at Flamingo Road Church are those that are serving others. He's absolutely right. Want joy? Start getting your satisfaction from putting others first.... let God bless you with the joy that you seek.
Write it Down: Today in your journal, make a list of 5 things that you can do to be less selfish. Pray and ask God to show you ways to put others first today.
See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian
2 comments:
Brian you are right about the joy we receive when we give that special something away .I find when I give away an item that I bought for myself it is an even greater joy . For so many years I did this and noticed the recipients didn't always appreciate it maybe because they didn't kbow how much I really wanted it or they didn't care they just expected a gift they never took the time to see how much the thing meant to me but I did it anyway. Then I stopped giving and that made me feel worse so I still give the old fashion way from my heart and if it goes unnoticed so be it. I know now I was right all along and to be like the majority of mankind doesn't work for me.
Peace & joy
Fncycarr
I've gotta tell you... when Pastor Troy said that the happiest people at Flamingo Road Church are the ones REALLY serving.... I wanted to GET UP AND SHOUT YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! This Father's Day weekend marks the one year anniversary for my husband and I, serving at Flamingo. I cannot really even begin to draw you a picture of what our lives were before we began serving.. because it just feels so third person to me now. God has taken our life to a level that was inconcievable to me then. I entered into to serving initially, selfishly. It was about me connecting with people... me doing my part. And truthfully, I kinda laughed at "those weird people" (that's what we used to call them) who served EVERY weekend... those people that were ALWAYS there no matter which service we attended. One year later we ARE those people!!!
Being at Flamingo serving God has totally CHANGED our lives, perspectives and our level of JOY! We have gone from serving for our benefit... to REALLY serving... we walk through those doors every weekend so excited to get it all started and spend time serving God through serving others that we just can't stand it!
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