#alanjaybinger

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Gratefulness of Mind and Spirit

The day I learned about gratitude was the day I received abundance and peace in life. Gratitude used to mean merely being thankful. It seemed like such an easy word to practice, yet did I truly understand what it meant? Do you? Being grateful is not only a state of mind. It is a way of living, a way of being. One cannot live in gratitude and in negativity at the same time. Gratitude cancels out negativity and replaces it with blessings. A few years ago, my husband and I lived from paycheck to paycheck. While we always had food on our table and sent the kids to a good school, we couldn’t afford a car, we missed paying our mortgage a few times, we didn’t have enough to go out for fun and recreation, and we didn’t have savings. We depended on the HMO and life insurance provided by his company. Financial freedom was only something we dream of. It was difficult. In fact, the stress of it all almost drove my husband and I apart. Imagine the stress—we worked hard but we didn’t have enough to cover everything. We were thankful for what we had, yes, but we didn’t fully allow this thankfulness to rule our lives. We were grateful for our blessings, but we kept asking for more. The glass was always half-empty. Finally, by the grace of our Lord, something clicked into place and things took a 360-degree turn. Our thank-you’s became a way of living and of relating to others. We became more sensitive to what others might be going through in the privacy of their homes, and we become more compassionate. We became less judgmental too. Mind you, we did not get rich, but we felt the abundance in our lives. Today, there are still many things we save up for and we have many big dreams we want to achieve. These things, however, do not overshadow our appreciation for what we have in the present. Foremost in our list are the gift of family and the gift of good health. We thank the Lord for our material blessings, but more than anything else, we are thankful for the good Lord’s faithfulness. He didn’t only see us through what we thought was a dark and difficult time, but he carried us through victoriously. My husband and I always acknowledge the importance of the dry season we went through. We understand now that everything was to teach us a lesson, and that lesson is the power of gratitude. We went through those difficult times so we could appreciate where we are now—but, really, it wasn’t so difficult. The mind did its tricks on us—leading us to believe we were lacking, making us crave for more, and transforming us into insatiable people. The power of gratitude has made us better people, and our relationships inside and outside the family became stronger and more meaningful. More importantly, we live in the present and celebrate the steadfast love and faithfulness of the one true provider of all. We found the best source of contentment and peace—no material possession can replace the Lord in our lives. Such is the power of a grateful mind and spirit. It changes lives. Read the full article

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Reinforcing Faith in Marriage

In the United States alone, 40–50 percent of marriages end in divorce. What seems to be at the core of this social issue? Surely, not all marriages are worth saving. There are scenarios that necessitate divorce. For instance, when either the husband or the wife is abusive and puts the other in imminent danger, one should walk away without a guilty conscience. Indeed, marriage requires hard work from both husband and wife—and another key ingredient in any relationship: God. All marriages should be God-centered. What most of us forget after making our vows is that marriage is a sacred covenant between man, woman, and God. It is important then to make room for God in the relationship. When husband and wife go through the motions of life without acknowledging God, they are surely doomed, because the devil is tricky and knows exactly how to pull things apart no matter how beautiful they are in the beginning. Satan knows how to take advantage of even the smallest cracks in a marriage and magnify them out of proportion until, finally, both husband and wife couldn’t find their way back to the sacred vows they made. The devil may lurk behind a promising career and drain out the energy of either husband or wife so they would, at the end of a busy day, offer no interest, comfort, or pleasure to each other. Money too may be the devil in disguise when too much or too little of it becomes the center of the marriage, removing gratitude in the equation. Even kids and house chores do not escape the devil. He uses them to push husband and wife to their limit. Therefore, the person who does not anchor himself in God will struggle with the rigors of life. More so when two people of different backgrounds, opinions, and preferences are involved. The only way then for a marriage to flourish in grace and peace and prevent it from getting anywhere close to a divorce is to have a God-centered relationship. When both husband and wife find favor in the Lord, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?" (Ecclesiastes 4:9). When two people have a God-centered marriage, the world and all that is evil may try to take them apart, but they will find solace in the Lord and in his faithfulness. “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things in all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8). Do not wait then for the marriage to turn sour before seeking out God and his graces. He should be present at all times in your married life—in fact, the very center of it. He should be the driving force that takes you through the day and the inspiration between all your interactions with your spouse.  “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 15:5–6). Read the full article

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The Willingness to Serve God

To serve God is what one wishes to do in his life. Yet as we age, we become acquainted with the struggles in doing so. Our willingness dwindles down until we no longer think that serving Him is significant to the grand scheme of life. Why is this so? There is evil in this world that makes us question honorable decisions. The more we question our decisions, the more we become hesitant to serve God. Hence, our faith shakes. We must, at all times, resist the forces of evil. But, how do we do that when it has its cunning ways to plant hatred and indifference in our hearts. For us to successfully repel evil, we have to focus on our faith. When a thought that questions our faith passes, we have to abandon the thought immediately. Such thoughts play tricks in your mind and may awaken more perilous thoughts. By focusing our energy in servicing the Divine, no ill thoughts will ever penetrate our mind. Moreover, no evil shall relinquish our loyalty and faith. However, it is not that easy. The journey to absolute redemption is fraught with struggles that make us question our purpose. We often reach the point where we don’t know how our purpose in life is in line with God’s plan. But, by accepting our fate, little by little the meaning of our purpose in life will unfold itself. Thereafter, the thoughts of facing yet future difficulties will fade away. All the worries and all the fear will become insignificant; there will be no evil to fear nor a future to worry about for the heart recognizes its divine purpose. So, when your willingness to serve God starts to diminish, don’t give up on hope. As the famous quote goes, “Pray hardest when it is hardest to pray.”   Have you read my article about A Heart Close to God? Read the full article

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A Heart Close to God

A heart that is close to God is one that resists the ceaseless deeds of evil. No matter the temptations that aim to destroy the relationship with God, a good heart knows God’s ways and does not waver. In this age, however, people act on personal desires more than on God’s will. And the consequence? Entropy. Decadence brings great pleasure to humans that it becomes difficult to compromise our growing desires with the path of the righteous. Well, it only becomes difficult if you lack time for faith training. Fortunately, it is never too late to go back on the path God has designed for you. Yet, the challenges that lie ahead may require you to surrender your greatest desire that does not parallel with God’s. For a heart to become close to God, you have to submit to His ways. This means untethering yourself to the desires that have restricted your spiritual growth. You may not realize it, but earthly desires narrow your perspective and therefore impede growth. The shallow, selfish wants corrupt the soul and if tolerated, you obliviously cultivate evil in you. But what good is pleasure if it destroys you in the end? The pleasure in following the direction of God is much greater than any earthly pleasures. The pleasures of the divine are eternally gratifying. Unlike earthly pleasures, they echo throughout your whole existence and throughout the life after this. Our wants here on earth are merely fleeting and so is the satisfaction they bring. A heart close to God recognizes these human thirsts and yet resists without falter. We have to train our hearts to do just the same. Let us rejoice in the walk toward divinity and practice restraint from indulgence in the plans of evil until it becomes a hobby.   Have you read my article about Delighting in God's Ways? Read the full article

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Delighting in God's Ways

Growing old paves ways to dreams and opportunities that we never thought we could achieve. As the list of possibilities goes on, we often find ourselves in sheer confusion about what our heart truly desires. As a result, we get lost along the way and remain unsure of which the right path is. The more lost we are, the more we realize how we just want to live a fulfilling life. To do so, there is one certain way: delighting in God’s ways. It’s normal for us to set goals and dreams for our own benefit. However, we also have to understand the depths of these goals. Anyone can just dream about becoming a doctor because it pays great, or a flight stewardess because all you have to do is look pretty. As we dream of such professions, we often fail to see the underlying significance of these jobs. More often than not, a dream dreamt with a blind and shallow desire pushes us to the point of profound realization: Is there anything more to this profession than money? By taking some time to pray and ask for God’s guidance, we will eventually know which the right path is for us. Plus, He will reveal to us the depths of our goals. Having stated that, the feeling of emptiness from the profession of our choice will eventually fade. He is the bringer of enlightenment. He shows us the way to a fulfilling life and, sometimes, it may take quitting the job we currently have. Although we cannot conceive God’s ways, our guts would tell us to follow them. A heart filled with faith would recognize in an instant the manifestation of His mysterious ways. God builds the right path for us and it is in His ways where we get to experience a life of fulfillment. When you feel lost and unhappy with your decision, ask the Lord’s guidance—it’s just a heartfelt prayer away.   Have you read my article about The Culture of Malice and Deceit? Read the full article