Remembering God in the Good Times

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We all have those relationships that don’t need much attention but still manage to thrive. Relationships about which we say, “We just pick right up where we left off no matter how long we go without seeing one another.” Our relationship with God can be that way sometimes. Here are some words to say and thoughts to carry when God feels far away — not because we’re hurting, but because our lives are full of blessings.

Be Grateful

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” ~ William Arthur Ward

There’s Always Something to Be Thankful For
It’s natural to turn to God when someone we love is sick, or we’ve lost a job, or the world has hurt us in one of its many ways. But when life is just … life — with few obstacles and little drama — it can be easy to take God for granted. In the times that are quiet, phases that might feel downright boring, there are still a million little things for which we can turn to God and say a simple, “Thank you.”

  • Thank you, God, for my health. Without it, everything else is so much more difficult.
  • Thank you, God, for the memories I’ve created today and each day that came before. They are my life story.
  • Thank you, God, for the miracle of the humdrum. My life’s quiet times calm my heart and recharge my spirit.

Celebrate

“I celebrate myself, and sing myself.” ~ Walt Whitman, “Song of Myself”

When Life Is Good, Don’t Forget to Celebrate It
Some of us look suspiciously on good times, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Because we all suffer from time to time, some of us view the good in our lives as little more than momentary interruptions of what we consider the inevitable bad. Whether we’re glass half-full or half-empty people, it’s important to celebrate — really celebrate — when we’re graced with good fortune.

  • Amen! My gifts and talents are unique, and I wouldn’t be me without them.
  • Amen! I am a living example of God’s goodness, and I share my joy in this
    faith community, in my family and in the world at large.
  • Amen! My celebration is a reminder to others that there is light in life.

Ask

“By asking for the impossible we obtain the possible.” ~ Italian proverb

If You’re Happy and You Know It, Help Someone Who’s Not
Catholic schoolchildren often learn the song “Love is Something If You Give It Away.” It’s about our uncanny ability to multiply love and good fortune by sharing it. The song compares love to a “magic penny. Hold it tight and you won’t have any. Lend it, spend it, and you’ll have so many they’ll roll all over the floor.” When life hands you the gift of good times, don’t hoard it jealously, pray that others might have it, too.

  • Bless the poor who are in need even while I am not.
  • Bless the lonely who feel as though the world has abandoned them.
  • Bless the grieving so they might know joy again.

Listen

“When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.” ~ Ernest Hemingway

Talk Less, Listen More
When life has become blissfully quiet, it’s wise to listen to what God is trying to tell us in the silence. When you’ve said thank you, celebrated your joy and asked for blessings for others, stop. And listen to the response.

  • Listen to your happiness. Try to learn what led you there. Those are the things, places and people with
    which your heart is calling you to surround yourself.
  • Listen to what others need when you are happy. It is in these moments when we are most able to give.
  • Listen for God’s voice. It’s there in your joy. What is it calling you to do next?