Proverbs 14 v 30 ‘A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.

Yesterday Polly and I went to see our friend Shirley, being with Shirley is such a blessing because she is full to the brim with a deep gratitude for everything that the Lord has done for her. She once told me that she’s never asked for anything and yet the Lord always provides for her in abundance. I find that when we are with Shirley she lifts our spirits and our soul not because of a shared love of Gulu, but because of her enthusiasm for life, her love for God and her stories of service to her neighbours.

When you spend time with Shirley you spend time with a woman who takes her faith seriously, a woman who grabs the life God gave her with open hands of gratitude and love.

Have you noticed that when things are a struggle and when life feels like it’s going uphill to be with someone full to the brim with gratitude is not only uplifting but it’s also healing. Sharing your gratitude with others and giving God the glory for his blessings is a tonic for the croups. It is inspiring, its encouraging and it is spirit lifting. I find that a deeply rooted gratitude for life and Gods blessings never brings out jealousy or resentment – instead it brings with it an abundance of intoxicating joy. There is no room for any negativity when God s being lifted up, there is no space for complaining or grumbling because when words of gratitude and stories of Gods blessing surround you they prevent the worlds lies and negativity from entering in.

Sometimes, when life is challenging for us we can be jealous of another’s blessing, and sometimes we find it easier to support someone when they’re having a hard time because it makes us feel good because we like the fact that we are helping someone. But if we restrict ourselves to only supporting those who have less, then we never know the blessing and the joy that comes from being with those who encourage us from their more. Always resist the temptation to enter into spiritual jealousy, don’t entertain thoughts of resentment towards another’s blessing. Jealousy of another’s blessing cancels out the delivery of our own, so instead resenting why not join in the gratitude party and share in the joy, fill the space you’re in with good words and don’t allow the enemy an inch of space to rob you of your joy. Let another’s blessing give life to your dreams.