Scripture
Galatians 5:22-23
Prayer
Father thank You for today, another day that You have blessed me to see more, feel more, hear more, experience more, do more, be more, help more, and love more.
I am humbly grateful for these gifts and opportunities. I am grateful for the gifts of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
They are precious gifts that can be manipulated, abused, or withheld, but never ever destroyed by law, by man, or by the enemy. They are gifts that come from You, they are of You, they are You.
Each day Father, I strive to embrace and express these gifts in a way that can best reflect You. Father forgive me when I fall short; for You know that I am a work in progress, being molded by Your hands, and my human weaknesses sometimes rise and lean so far that I fall. But as the Master, You always catch that bit of clay before it hits the floor, and with cleansing water You mold me back into place. Thank You Father. I love You. In Jesus’ name I raise my hands up singing Your praise. Amen.
Reflection
God gives us the gifts of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We can either positively embrace them or we can abuse them.
Look closely at each gift.
They come from within and once properly applied they have an outward, external, impact. They come from within and can reach out and touch others, causing a domino effect.
The same is true when we reflect the opposite of the gift we are utilizing. When we express hate, not love, it touches others and spreads like dominoes rapidly falling one by one along a long winding path that seems as though it will never end. The only way to restore each piece to their upright position is through embracing and applying patience, self-control, and once again–love.
When hate is present, none of these other gifts are in alignment. Hate stands alone. It pushes the other gifts out.
The gifts wait nearby, for the moment we are either positively triggered by someone else sharing one or more of their gifts with us, or when the hate chokes us so intensely that our desire for better, for comfort, for peace, causes us to reach our hands and hearts out to grab the gift of self-control. We lean on it and little by little our hope for better is displayed through our actions, words, and thoughts. Then in time we begin seeing the other gifts round the corner and approach us. We take and embrace each gift, filling ourselves until eventually they are all nestled within us, where they are supposed to be.
But never were the gifts destroyed, for they come from God, and there is no force greater, more powerful, or with greater reach than He.
Don’t ever forget that.
God gives us options and each day we have a choice about how we will best use our gifts. How will you embrace and apply yours today?
Love,
Natasha
Breaking Bread With Natasha 