This month at New Vision, we are talking about all things gratitude!
We love that the holiday season offers a chance to slow down and take a look at the gifts God has blessed us with over the years. God loves His children and it gives Him great joy, just as it would give any father, to bless his kids.
And while we believe that God loves to bless His children, if we stop there and think that His blessings are intended for us and us alone, we actually miss one of the greatest blessings of all!
The Bible is full of examples of how God blesses His people and then commands them to use those blessings to be a blessing to others who do not yet know Him. It’s one of the sweetest forms of evangelism! By sharing the blessings God has provided us and our families, we are pointing others to see that there is a good and loving Father who will love, care for, and provide for those who choose to follow Him.
So rather than simply focusing on the blessings God has given us this holiday season, how can we take inventory and intentionally share these blessings with those who do not know God yet?
Say for example you received a gift card to your favorite restaurant recently. Rather than using it for yourself, maybe there is someone who you feel the Lord is tugging your heart to get to know and show love and grace to. Then share that blessing by taking this person to lunch. This kind gesture could go a long way in building a relationship which God could use to alter this person’s story.
What could be a better blessing than knowing that you could play a part in the salvation story of a friend, neighbor, or coworker? And what a great way to show God gratitude for all that He has blessed you with!
Let’s try an exercise together and commit to taking intentional steps in sharing our blessings this holiday season!
Blessings Exercise:
- Take a sheet of paper and fold it down the middle from top to bottom.
- Consider what gifts God given you in this season. Write those gifts in the left-column of the paper.
- Consider how each of these gifts could bless someone else who does not know the Lord. List these in the right-hand column next to each gift.
- Look at the list and see if any specific faces or names come to mind that you could bless. Jot down those names next to each blessing in parentheses.
- Now it’s time to take action! Place a star next to a blessing you can share this week. Then write it on your weekly calendar.
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