Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.–Hebrews 13:8

About forty million adults in America suffer from anxiety, making it the most common mental illness in the country. But even those who haven’t been treated for an anxiety disorder experience daily stress, tension, and fear. Our worries can center on things that happened in the past, either recent or distant, the circumstances currently facing us, or fears of tomorrow.

When your past comes back to haunt you, turn your thoughts around and thank God for past blessings. His care for you in days gone by is far greater than any perils or problems, and His redemption is deeper than any regret. When a current distress torments you, turn it into prayer and praise, and thank God for promising to never leave you nor forsake you. Whenever you’re tempted to fret about tomorrow, start praising Him for the eternal nature of His love, for a future just as bright as His promises.

Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever — and so are His grace, peace, sovereignty, fellowship, joy, power, wisdom, and love. He gives His blessings in bundles — yesterday, today, and forever — so our gratitude should be eternal.

Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. One day we all will meet Him around this dynamic truth…. He is ours — the unforsaking, unchanged Christ.
Calvin Miller, in Fruit of the Spirit (From Turning Point)

“The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.”–Proverbs 27:7

A rich British homeowner, coming downstairs one morning overheard the cook in the kitchen say, “Oh, if I only had five pounds, I would be content.” She was a good worker, and he thought he would grant her wish. He walked into the kitchen and handed her a five pound note. She thanked him, and he left to go on about his day. But he paused outside the door to see if she would say anything else. Instead of expressing contentment, once she thought he was gone she said, “Why didn’t I say ten pounds?”

The idea that if we just had a little more we would be content and happy is one of the most successful lies Satan has ever used against God’s people. Contentment does not come from having more possessions, but from having more gratitude. There are some people with millions who are not content while there are others who don’t even have hundreds who are. An active and working faith chooses to trust that God knows and cares about our situation. Jesus said, “your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things” (Matthew 6:32).

Each time we complain about what we do not have, we are expressing our belief that we know what we need better than God. It is not wrong to ask Him for things—in fact He commands us to do so. The problem comes when we are not content with His answer. The tragedy of discontentment is that it renders us vulnerable to temptation and prevents us from realizing the abundance of blessings we have. If you are honest in evaluating what God has done for you, it won’t take long for you to begin rejoicing that He “daily loadeth us with benefits” (Psalm 68:19).—— Faith trusts God to provide what we need and gives thanks for whatever He chooses to send our way.– Daily in the Word

“Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked; For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.”— Proverbs 24:19–20

Some people are so envious of others, even others less fortunate, that they are unsatisfied and un-thankful. That is shameful. It is in fact sinful. And it is proof that they don’t deserve what they have. Too many folks are like the little girl in this story told by Paul Chappell:

“- – -a man— returned from a trip to Paris with a beautiful French doll for his young niece. When she opened the package the girl was so thrilled that she rushed inside to show her mother what she had received. “Did you thank your uncle for the present?” her Mother asked. “Yes, Mama,” the girl replied, “But I didn’t tell him so.”

Sometimes we think that we are thankful people, but we neglect to express our gratitude. Often this is the result of failure to appreciate what we have. This ingratitude happens because we count the blessings of those around us instead of counting our own blessings. We fail to realize that even great blessings and prosperity may only be temporary. The fact that those who do not know God may have temporary success in “climbing the ladder” or accumulating the most toys does not change the fact that this is short-term success that produces no lasting or eternal result.

Instead of looking at others we should be focused on the amazing grace and blessings that God has given to us. David wrote, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2). While we may not have everything we wish for, it is the promise of God that we will have everything we need. Those good things are not the result of our worth and merit, but of His grace. Since God is the source of all our blessings, He deserves the full measure of our praise.”

And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,–Luke 7:37
It is wonderful how genuine goodness draws to itself . . .
  the unfortunate,
  the troubled,
  the friendless,
  the outcast,
  the fallen.
Wherever Jesus went–these classes always found Him out and gathered about Him. It was because He was the true, unselfish friend of all men. They found sympathy in Him. He would listen to their story. Though He was the sinless One, there was yet no air of “I am holier than you” about Him. He was just as gentle to an outcast sinner–as to a religious Nicodemus. No matter who reached out a hand for help–He was ready to grasp it. One of the truest things ever said of Jesus, was the prophetic word concerning him, “He shall not break a bruised reed!” He always dealt most gently with sore spirits and with bruised hearts!

Those who want to be useful in this world–must have the same qualities as Jesus. There is a kind of false “holiness” which draws nobody to itself–but rather repels. Genuine holiness, however, wins its way everywhere into men’s hearts. The secret of it all, is in living “not to be served–but to serve;” in considering one’s self not too good to serve the most unworthy of God’s creatures. If we live in this world to be served–we shall be of no use to anyone. But if we live to minister to others, yearning to be of service to everyone we meet–then our life will be of great worth. The hungry-hearted and the soul-needy will be drawn to us–and God will love to put work into our hands.

We need, too, to train ourselves to exceeding gentleness in dealing with human souls in their spiritual crises. Many earnest people, in the excess of their zeal–do incalculable harm to those whom they greatly desire to help. People with sore and bruised hearts—usually need loving sympathy and strong, kindly friendship–much more than they need a lecture in theology.–J. R. Miller