1 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:05,800 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:10,399 Speaker 2: Hey everyone, Nicole here this month on how to Say 3 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:13,240 Speaker 2: the Bible. We're beginning a new series called One Word 4 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:17,639 Speaker 2: twenty twenty six, a gentle way to reflect, respond and 5 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 2: reconnect with God as we start the year. You can 6 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:24,600 Speaker 2: download your free companion guide at nicoleunics dot com slash 7 00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:27,480 Speaker 2: New Year and walk through it with me. That's Nicole 8 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 2: Unice You nice dot com slash New Year and you 9 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:33,640 Speaker 2: can pick up that guide for free. Looking forward to 10 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 2: walking through it together. Hey everyone, welcome back to How 11 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 2: to Stay the Bible. I'm your host, Nicole and so 12 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:57,920 Speaker 2: glad that you're here with us. Thank you as always 13 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:01,960 Speaker 2: for your five star review and you're subscribing because that 14 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:05,680 Speaker 2: really helps the podcast continue to spread around the way 15 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 2: the Internet spreads things. Really grateful to be a little 16 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:11,480 Speaker 2: part of your day and a little part of your encouragement. 17 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 2: We are in a series right now called One Word 18 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 2: twenty twenty six, and this is all about listening for 19 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:22,399 Speaker 2: God's invitation in the year ahead. What is God inviting 20 00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:25,959 Speaker 2: you to in the area of spiritual growth? And so 21 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:29,400 Speaker 2: we're spending the whole month talking through six different invitations 22 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:32,360 Speaker 2: that I want to offer you to participate with God 23 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:34,320 Speaker 2: and what he's doing in your life to pick one 24 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:37,319 Speaker 2: of those invitations as your focus for twenty twenty six. 25 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 2: And I also put together a free reflection guide for 26 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:44,759 Speaker 2: you to help you actually do a spiritual audit of 27 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 2: twenty twenty five. Just look back with gratefulness and with 28 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 2: curiosity about what God has been doing in your life 29 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 2: and how that might connect to what He's doing in 30 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:58,800 Speaker 2: this coming year. You can grab that guide at Nicoleunis 31 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 2: dot com slash New Year. We also have it in 32 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:03,280 Speaker 2: the show notes, so you can click there, and that 33 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 2: will just give you a little way for you to 34 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:10,560 Speaker 2: continue to engage in a reflective posture for January, so 35 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:12,280 Speaker 2: that as you go into the rest of your year, 36 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:15,560 Speaker 2: you've got that single focus where you can really be 37 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:17,919 Speaker 2: in a conversation with God and be able to look 38 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 2: back a year from now and say, yes, I see 39 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:23,960 Speaker 2: how God used those circumstances and things in my life 40 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 2: to bring me to a deeper place of trust in Him, 41 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:30,519 Speaker 2: a deeper place of knowledge and insight, as we talked 42 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:33,640 Speaker 2: about from Philippians One as we started this series. So 43 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:37,240 Speaker 2: last week we talked through the first two words that 44 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:40,399 Speaker 2: I wanted to offer you two invitations, and those two 45 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:44,120 Speaker 2: words were diligent and confident. This week, I want to 46 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:47,519 Speaker 2: offer you two new words, and those words are grateful 47 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:52,360 Speaker 2: and peaceful. Now grateful is a repeat I used grateful 48 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 2: two years ago as well. I think that gratitude is 49 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:59,240 Speaker 2: so difficult to cultivate, even though it seems so easy 50 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:02,080 Speaker 2: to say, Oh, it's like easy to be thankful, But 51 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:06,079 Speaker 2: the ongoing process of cultivating gratitude, and I'll show you why. 52 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:08,360 Speaker 2: I believe that, as we look at the scripture together, 53 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:13,120 Speaker 2: that the ongoing process of cultivating gratitude is incredibly important 54 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 2: and can be so difficult because gratefulness is about a posture. 55 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:21,880 Speaker 2: It's a posture of thankfulness for every gift in life, 56 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:26,280 Speaker 2: no matter how large or small. It's an attitude of 57 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:31,440 Speaker 2: appreciation and kindness. And I think that gratitude and gratefulness 58 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:34,920 Speaker 2: change the way we live because we begin to live 59 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 2: each day expectantly and in appreciation. And what happens when 60 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:43,600 Speaker 2: we do that when our hearts begin to shift and 61 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 2: we stop sort of taking up space in the way 62 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:50,120 Speaker 2: that we might be striving or grasping to be seen, 63 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 2: to be admired, to be validated, when that is replaced 64 00:03:55,680 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 2: with space. That space can be taken up with passion 65 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:03,640 Speaker 2: for others. And so what we're really talking about is 66 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 2: the catalyst to love. Gratitude is a catalyst for love, 67 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 2: for us to experience more love, for us to give 68 00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:18,120 Speaker 2: more love, And it really is a discipline. The opposite 69 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:25,280 Speaker 2: of gratitude or gratefulness is discontent. It's dissatisfaction. It's a 70 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:28,960 Speaker 2: thankless spirit. And man, when I was preparing these words 71 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 2: and preparing for this and the next invitation, I was like, 72 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:35,320 Speaker 2: oh gosh, it's so convicting, because when you write down 73 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 2: what the opposite behavior is to these virtues, you realize 74 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:41,280 Speaker 2: it's not a person that you want to be, nor 75 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:43,440 Speaker 2: is it a person that you want to be around. 76 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:46,400 Speaker 2: And if we are just honest with ourselves and we're 77 00:04:46,440 --> 00:04:49,920 Speaker 2: able to really think about with real honesty, the way 78 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 2: we show up in the world, and we hear these 79 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 2: words such as discontent, dissatisfied, thankless, we can say, oh, 80 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:00,560 Speaker 2: that is not a person that I will want to be. 81 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:02,920 Speaker 2: It is not a person I want to be. And 82 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:06,920 Speaker 2: yet it is very easy to slip into that kind 83 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 2: of person without some attention. So if you feel like 84 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 2: perhaps this has been a season for you, where you 85 00:05:13,279 --> 00:05:16,600 Speaker 2: recognize that you have been going after something and you 86 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:19,599 Speaker 2: feel like you're never quite there, or you felt very 87 00:05:20,279 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 2: self concerned with your career or a relationship or something 88 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:27,640 Speaker 2: that you wish you had that you don't have. If 89 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:30,839 Speaker 2: that's been your season, and you know that's not the 90 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:33,400 Speaker 2: person that you want to become, and you look back 91 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:36,440 Speaker 2: over twenty twenty five and you recognize that God had 92 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:39,280 Speaker 2: given you all of these good gifts in the world 93 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:42,480 Speaker 2: and in your life and you just weren't appreciating them, 94 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:46,560 Speaker 2: then maybe this is your invitation. Maybe your invitation is 95 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:50,839 Speaker 2: a focus on being a grateful person this year. The 96 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:53,000 Speaker 2: key scripture that I want to give you is from 97 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:57,479 Speaker 2: First Thessalonians five, verse eighteen, and it says in this 98 00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 2: verse and everything give things now. That itself is incredibly 99 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:05,560 Speaker 2: challenging because you'll, like, wait a second, in everything good 100 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:06,559 Speaker 2: things and bad things. 101 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 1: I mean, if you. 102 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 2: Want to become a grateful person, learn to be grateful 103 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:14,760 Speaker 2: for the hard things in your life. That is a challenge. 104 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:17,159 Speaker 2: Learn to be grateful for the things that you did 105 00:06:17,160 --> 00:06:20,560 Speaker 2: not want. Ask God to show you how the things 106 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:23,840 Speaker 2: that you did not want are shaping you into the 107 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:27,120 Speaker 2: person that He wants. You to become in everything give 108 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:29,800 Speaker 2: thanks Firstthsonians five eighteen. For this is the will of 109 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:33,080 Speaker 2: God in Christ Jesus concerning you. All of us are 110 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:35,200 Speaker 2: wondering what the will of God is. All of us 111 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:37,359 Speaker 2: are asking God, what is your purpose for me? What 112 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:39,120 Speaker 2: is your direction for me? What do you want for 113 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:41,600 Speaker 2: me in this year? Well, here's one of the things 114 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:43,680 Speaker 2: he one hundred percent wants for you in this year. 115 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:46,640 Speaker 2: It is very very clear in First Thessalonians. The will 116 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:48,800 Speaker 2: of God in Christ Jesus concerning you is that you 117 00:06:48,839 --> 00:06:52,719 Speaker 2: would be able in everything to give thanks, That you 118 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:54,240 Speaker 2: would wake up in the morning and be, like I 119 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:56,799 Speaker 2: am grateful for another day. That you would be able 120 00:06:56,800 --> 00:07:00,880 Speaker 2: to go through your day and find the small things 121 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:05,120 Speaker 2: to just be incredibly grateful for, to be full of 122 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:08,599 Speaker 2: wonder about. I remember yesterday I was walking in my yard. 123 00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:10,520 Speaker 2: I would live in the city and so we have 124 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 2: a very small yard. And I was opening the door 125 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:16,480 Speaker 2: from the garage toward our front door, and there was 126 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:22,440 Speaker 2: like five beautiful birds sitting on the fence, bluebirds and cardinals, 127 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 2: and I thought those birds, like, they are so beautiful. Now, 128 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:29,880 Speaker 2: believe me, this is not my normal setting. This is 129 00:07:30,080 --> 00:07:33,760 Speaker 2: I'm not just like going around some kind of saying 130 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 2: to just looking at all these beautiful things in nature 131 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 2: and being full of wonder and gratitude at every moment. 132 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 2: In fact, because I was full of wonder and gratitude 133 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:45,560 Speaker 2: at that moment, I was recognizing how uncommon that is 134 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 2: for me when I'm around beautiful things all the time, 135 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 2: if I would pay attention. And what happens as we 136 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:56,320 Speaker 2: begin to cultivate a spirit of gratitude is that we 137 00:07:56,480 --> 00:08:00,200 Speaker 2: do find that we have more space in our hearts 138 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:03,960 Speaker 2: for care and attention for others. We care about the 139 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 2: little things, we notice, the little things, little things that 140 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:09,360 Speaker 2: we can be grateful for, and maybe little things that 141 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:13,320 Speaker 2: God's calling us to care about, to be His hands 142 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:15,880 Speaker 2: and feet in the world in a way that we 143 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:20,920 Speaker 2: might provide attention or compassion or encouragement to somebody else. 144 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:25,440 Speaker 2: So your passage, your biblical character for you to capture, 145 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 2: if gratefulness is maybe how God is calling you in 146 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 2: twenty twenty six, is from Luke seventeen, and I'm going 147 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:34,840 Speaker 2: to read you this passage is not super long, and 148 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:40,040 Speaker 2: this is about Jesus healing ten lepers between Samaria and Galilee, 149 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:42,679 Speaker 2: and it says that Jesus was passing. He was on 150 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:45,160 Speaker 2: his way to Jerusalem, and so he's between Samaria and 151 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:48,559 Speaker 2: Galilee and he enters a village and as he enters 152 00:08:48,559 --> 00:08:51,880 Speaker 2: the village, he's met by ten lepers who stood back 153 00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:54,600 Speaker 2: from him because obviously they were unclean. If you know 154 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:59,800 Speaker 2: anything about leprosy, leprosy was contagious and it created in 155 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:03,400 Speaker 2: environment where you couldn't be around anyone else. Not only that, 156 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:07,840 Speaker 2: but leprosy was considered a disease that made a spiritual 157 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:10,880 Speaker 2: leader unclean if he was touched by someone who was 158 00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 2: a leper. 159 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:13,960 Speaker 1: So to approach a spiritual leader. 160 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:16,000 Speaker 2: Would be to make them unable to do their job 161 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:20,640 Speaker 2: in the temple without purification rights. So think about what 162 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:23,680 Speaker 2: it would be like to be ostracized physically and be 163 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:26,400 Speaker 2: in pain and need to be healed, but also to 164 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:32,080 Speaker 2: be ostracized socially and relationally and spiritually, not able to 165 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:35,240 Speaker 2: enter the temple, not able to worship the way that 166 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:38,160 Speaker 2: you were designed to worship. And this is the reality 167 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:39,800 Speaker 2: of being a leper at that time. 168 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:40,840 Speaker 1: And so these. 169 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:44,160 Speaker 2: Lepers approach Jesus, but they stay back and they lift 170 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 2: up their voices and they say, Jesus, Master, have mercy 171 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 2: on us, And when he saw them, he said to them, 172 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:53,880 Speaker 2: go and show yourselves to the priests. And as they went, 173 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:56,120 Speaker 2: they were cleansed, so that would be they would show 174 00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:58,559 Speaker 2: themselves to the priest to show that they were now healed. 175 00:09:59,160 --> 00:10:01,640 Speaker 2: And then one of them, when he saw that he 176 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:05,360 Speaker 2: was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice, 177 00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:09,240 Speaker 2: and he fell on his face at Jesus's feet, giving 178 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:14,160 Speaker 2: him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan, and Jesus answered, 179 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:17,760 Speaker 2: We're not ten cleansed. Where are the other nine? Was 180 00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:20,200 Speaker 2: no one found to return and give praise to God 181 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:23,920 Speaker 2: except this foreigner, And he said to him, rise and 182 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 2: go your way. Your faith has made you well. Now 183 00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:31,080 Speaker 2: a couple of little details about this passage. The lepers 184 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:32,839 Speaker 2: would be together because the only people they could be 185 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:35,439 Speaker 2: with were other lepers, And so we've got a mixed 186 00:10:35,559 --> 00:10:37,920 Speaker 2: group of people. There might have been some Jewish folks 187 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:39,720 Speaker 2: in there, and there was a Samaritan in there as well. 188 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:44,800 Speaker 2: And out of the ten, only one turns around to 189 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:48,280 Speaker 2: thank Jesus for answering what they asked of him. Did 190 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:51,160 Speaker 2: that they were healed, And this one that turned around 191 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:53,920 Speaker 2: was a Samaritan, so he would be considered sort of 192 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:58,760 Speaker 2: the least of these Samaritans were not loved by Jews. 193 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:02,280 Speaker 2: Samaritans were they were not accepted by Jews. They were 194 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:05,320 Speaker 2: considered sort of a mixed race, where the purity of 195 00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:10,360 Speaker 2: the Jewish culture had been diluted by intermarrying with other ethnicities. 196 00:11:10,400 --> 00:11:14,120 Speaker 2: And so this was like a scorge on the Jewish 197 00:11:14,120 --> 00:11:15,760 Speaker 2: faith the Samaritan people. 198 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:17,960 Speaker 1: And so you see throughout. 199 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:21,680 Speaker 2: The gospels Jesus often is interacting with Samaritans, and this 200 00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:26,559 Speaker 2: is very intentional. The way that Jesus heals, interacts, converses, 201 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:29,760 Speaker 2: talks to the very first woman that he meets, the 202 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:33,040 Speaker 2: woman at the well. There's just a sense that Jesus 203 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:36,240 Speaker 2: is intentionally going to the margins and saying that there 204 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:39,280 Speaker 2: is no margin in the Kingdom of God, that there 205 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:41,880 Speaker 2: is no such thing as being marginalized. In fact, the 206 00:11:41,960 --> 00:11:45,719 Speaker 2: last will become first. And here we have a Samaritan 207 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:48,840 Speaker 2: is the only one who turns around and it returns 208 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:51,360 Speaker 2: to give thanks. So what I was talking about at 209 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:54,240 Speaker 2: the beginning that I believe that gratitude is actually difficult 210 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:57,120 Speaker 2: to cultivate. Here we have ten people who have every 211 00:11:57,160 --> 00:12:00,160 Speaker 2: reason to be grateful, but only one of them remembers 212 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:02,480 Speaker 2: to be grateful. It doesn't mean that the other nine 213 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:06,880 Speaker 2: weren't grateful. It just means they were self absorbed, self concerned, 214 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:08,839 Speaker 2: going to the priest, not thinking about what had just 215 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:10,800 Speaker 2: happened to them. And this is what I mean about 216 00:12:10,840 --> 00:12:15,839 Speaker 2: cultivating space for gratitude, because it actually requires attention, it 217 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:20,280 Speaker 2: requires slowing down. Maya Angelou, one of my favorite authors, 218 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:23,160 Speaker 2: has a quote that she's often said in interviews and 219 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:26,320 Speaker 2: in multiple essays, and the quote is this, this is 220 00:12:26,360 --> 00:12:30,360 Speaker 2: a wonderful day. I've never seen this one before. Can 221 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:33,440 Speaker 2: you imagine waking up every day and saying, Gosh, I've 222 00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:35,640 Speaker 2: never seen this day before. Can you believe I have 223 00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:38,920 Speaker 2: this day, whole day in front of me, this wonderful day. 224 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:44,160 Speaker 2: That requires cultivating an attention. The Samaritan who turned around 225 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:49,360 Speaker 2: to give thanks Jesus requires attention, It requires cultivation, and 226 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:53,560 Speaker 2: that gratitude in that Samaritan, leopard's heart became worship. He 227 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:57,240 Speaker 2: actually gave thanks. That word give thanks is eucharist. That's 228 00:12:57,280 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 2: the same word we use when we talk about communion, 229 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:03,360 Speaker 2: an act of giving thanks for the life that God 230 00:13:03,400 --> 00:13:06,720 Speaker 2: has given us. And I know, especially if life has 231 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:09,320 Speaker 2: been difficult for you, if this has been a challenging season, 232 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:13,440 Speaker 2: learning to give thanks in every circumstance may be the 233 00:13:13,480 --> 00:13:15,960 Speaker 2: most mature thing that you can do in twenty twenty six, 234 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:18,840 Speaker 2: maybe the most difficult thing and the thing that yields 235 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:23,720 Speaker 2: the most fruit in your life. The affirmation for grateful 236 00:13:23,800 --> 00:13:26,960 Speaker 2: if this is your invitation, is this, I choose to 237 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:33,640 Speaker 2: be content and compassionate. I choose to be content and compassionate. 238 00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:46,400 Speaker 2: All right, let's talk about what it means to be peaceful. Okay, 239 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:49,720 Speaker 2: Our next option for your invitation for twenty twenty six 240 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:55,880 Speaker 2: is peaceful. Now, the definition of peaceful is free from disturbance, 241 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:58,559 Speaker 2: which is very interesting because I think it's easy, kind 242 00:13:58,559 --> 00:14:00,280 Speaker 2: of in the spiritual world to be like Okay, the 243 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:04,000 Speaker 2: opposite of peaceful is anxious, obviously, and to be peaceful 244 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:06,920 Speaker 2: is free from fear. But the real definition is to 245 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:10,040 Speaker 2: be free from disturbance, which I like because that's a 246 00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:13,560 Speaker 2: little bit of an even broader term than fearful. To 247 00:14:13,640 --> 00:14:17,679 Speaker 2: be peaceful is to be tranquil in all circumstances, and 248 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:22,840 Speaker 2: the opposite of peaceful is agitated. Now, agitated can be 249 00:14:22,920 --> 00:14:26,880 Speaker 2: an anxious energy, but it can also be a restless energy. 250 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:31,560 Speaker 2: It can be directly connected to fear or a fearful spirit, 251 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:35,120 Speaker 2: or it may come from a sense that the person 252 00:14:35,200 --> 00:14:37,880 Speaker 2: needs to be someone they are not or do something 253 00:14:37,920 --> 00:14:41,360 Speaker 2: that they are not doing. It's this turbulence. It's a 254 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:46,960 Speaker 2: turbulent soul, a turbulent attitude toward yourself, but also a 255 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:50,480 Speaker 2: turbulent attitude toward the world. It's a sense that something 256 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:53,040 Speaker 2: is not right, and because it is not right, there 257 00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:55,920 Speaker 2: is this anxious energy. Now, I would argue all of 258 00:14:55,920 --> 00:14:59,360 Speaker 2: that actually is fear. Whether that fear is fear of 259 00:14:59,360 --> 00:15:01,280 Speaker 2: something that you're not to be able to control, or 260 00:15:01,520 --> 00:15:03,640 Speaker 2: fear that you're going to be left out, or fear 261 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:07,240 Speaker 2: that you're not going to be validated or affirmed or 262 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:10,640 Speaker 2: encouraged or achieve or meet your goals or whatever that is. 263 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:13,120 Speaker 1: That's kind of all fear. But I think. 264 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:15,760 Speaker 2: Disturbed is a good word because I think we know 265 00:15:16,240 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 2: when our spirits are disturbed, and we may not know 266 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:22,840 Speaker 2: why they are disturbed, but I think we can access 267 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:25,760 Speaker 2: that feeling. And if you can't access that feeling, you 268 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:29,360 Speaker 2: might even just notice in your body right now, if 269 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:33,160 Speaker 2: your stomach feels tight, if your jaw is clenched, if 270 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:36,560 Speaker 2: you feel a little bit of agitated energy. Just in 271 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:38,960 Speaker 2: the way that you're moving, if your shoulders are up 272 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:42,000 Speaker 2: by your ears. These are all ways that we hold 273 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:46,120 Speaker 2: anxious energy inside of our bodies. And this may be 274 00:15:46,160 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 2: an invitation for you that the reality is that Jesus 275 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:52,680 Speaker 2: says that he gives us a peace that goes beyond 276 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:54,920 Speaker 2: what the world gives. It's completely different than what the 277 00:15:54,960 --> 00:15:58,360 Speaker 2: world gives, and that this piece is able to be 278 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:02,280 Speaker 2: accessed the circumstances and their story after story in the 279 00:16:02,280 --> 00:16:06,520 Speaker 2: Bible where we see people who are experiencing peace when 280 00:16:06,560 --> 00:16:08,920 Speaker 2: they should not even have peace. And if you've been 281 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:11,280 Speaker 2: around people who've been in difficult situations, you may have 282 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:14,400 Speaker 2: heard people talk about this before, where they perhaps are 283 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:18,280 Speaker 2: in a season of suffering or crisis and they say, Oh, 284 00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:20,200 Speaker 2: I look back, and I'm like, I had peace. I 285 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 2: had no idea, it was not from within me. I 286 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:25,640 Speaker 2: was just able to be peaceful in this situation. Wouldn't 287 00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:27,840 Speaker 2: it be great to be able to access that kind 288 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:31,640 Speaker 2: of peace at all times, not just inner crisis, but 289 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:36,080 Speaker 2: in your everyday turbulence, in your everyday disturbances, to be 290 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:38,440 Speaker 2: a person who can live in that kind of peace. 291 00:16:39,520 --> 00:16:43,680 Speaker 2: Our key scripture for peaceful is John fourteen, verse twenty seven. 292 00:16:44,040 --> 00:16:47,000 Speaker 2: This is straight from Jesus peace. I leave with you 293 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:49,960 Speaker 2: my peace I give you. I do not give to 294 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:52,560 Speaker 2: you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts 295 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:56,480 Speaker 2: be troubled, and do not be afraid. The opposite of 296 00:16:56,520 --> 00:17:01,520 Speaker 2: a troubled heart is a peaceful heart, a heart free disturbance, 297 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:05,440 Speaker 2: a heart that has an inner calm, no matter the situation. 298 00:17:06,640 --> 00:17:09,800 Speaker 2: The biblical character I want to offer you for peaceful 299 00:17:10,320 --> 00:17:13,080 Speaker 2: is Hannah. This is in First Samuel one. If you 300 00:17:13,119 --> 00:17:16,119 Speaker 2: don't know the story of Hannah. Hannah was one of 301 00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:19,000 Speaker 2: two wives, and one of the wives was and this 302 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:21,520 Speaker 2: was normal in the Old Testament for their multiple wives. 303 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:24,040 Speaker 2: One of the wives had had children, but Hannah was 304 00:17:24,160 --> 00:17:27,760 Speaker 2: unable to have children, and she was just absolutely devastated 305 00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:30,440 Speaker 2: about her inability to have children. This would be kind 306 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:33,879 Speaker 2: of the key core. It still is oftentimes today, but 307 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:36,399 Speaker 2: this would be the core identity of a woman, would 308 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:38,560 Speaker 2: be to be able to have a child, because this 309 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:42,040 Speaker 2: is the way that you continue to propagate your family's line, 310 00:17:42,359 --> 00:17:44,800 Speaker 2: and this is the way that you protect your family's 311 00:17:45,160 --> 00:17:48,160 Speaker 2: property and what you own, and the way that really 312 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:50,919 Speaker 2: God had called in the Old Testament his people to 313 00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:53,760 Speaker 2: be fruitful and multiply, so to not be able to 314 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:57,120 Speaker 2: have children would have been really like the worst anguish 315 00:17:57,320 --> 00:18:00,560 Speaker 2: that you could experience. And this is how Hannah feels 316 00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:04,439 Speaker 2: about not having children. And her husband loved her, but 317 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:08,280 Speaker 2: yet she was so upset that she could not have children. 318 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:11,760 Speaker 2: And in addition to that, the other wife in this 319 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:13,880 Speaker 2: two wives never is a good thing. 320 00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:16,600 Speaker 1: Nora's three or more than that. But we know that now. 321 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:19,600 Speaker 2: But at the time, you know, Pennanaya is the other woman, 322 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:23,400 Speaker 2: and she would provoke Hannah. She did not like that. Elkanat, 323 00:18:23,480 --> 00:18:26,639 Speaker 2: the husband, loved them both and really loved Hannah, and 324 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:28,560 Speaker 2: so she would irritate her and provoke her. So this 325 00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:30,560 Speaker 2: is a woman who has every reason to be disturbed. 326 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:33,680 Speaker 2: She's every reason to feel troubled, and so she is. 327 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:35,560 Speaker 1: She's troubled. She's disturbed. 328 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:39,280 Speaker 2: But she goes to the temple and she goes to pray. 329 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:42,399 Speaker 2: She weeps before the Lord. She's in anguish, and she 330 00:18:42,480 --> 00:18:44,439 Speaker 2: makes a vow to God and says that if you 331 00:18:44,600 --> 00:18:46,800 Speaker 2: will remember me and give me a son, I will 332 00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:49,800 Speaker 2: give that son back to you. And she keeps praying 333 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:53,639 Speaker 2: to God, and it looks like she's drunk. The priest 334 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:55,480 Speaker 2: thinks that she's drunk, and she's like, I'm not drunk, 335 00:18:55,520 --> 00:18:58,879 Speaker 2: I'm troubled. I am pouring out my soul to the Lord. 336 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:02,199 Speaker 2: And so the priest answers her and says, go in peace. 337 00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:04,719 Speaker 2: And it says at that moment when he says, go 338 00:19:04,760 --> 00:19:06,600 Speaker 2: in peace, may the God of Israel grant you what 339 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:09,800 Speaker 2: you've asked. She goes away and her face is no 340 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:14,720 Speaker 2: longer downcast. She leaves with peace. She does not have 341 00:19:14,840 --> 00:19:18,000 Speaker 2: yet what she has asked for, but she still leaves 342 00:19:18,040 --> 00:19:20,960 Speaker 2: in peace. And I think that's important that we can 343 00:19:21,119 --> 00:19:24,359 Speaker 2: cast our cares upon God trust that he will answer 344 00:19:24,359 --> 00:19:26,439 Speaker 2: our prayer. It may not be in our timing, it 345 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 2: may not be the way we want, but it does 346 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:30,600 Speaker 2: not mean that he has not heard our prayer. And 347 00:19:30,760 --> 00:19:34,440 Speaker 2: I can leave and have my face no longer downcast. 348 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:37,640 Speaker 2: And later Hannah does in fact get pregnant. She does 349 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:40,639 Speaker 2: give birth to a son. She names him Samuel. She 350 00:19:40,760 --> 00:19:43,520 Speaker 2: does dedicate him back to the temple, and he becomes 351 00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:46,800 Speaker 2: a prophet of God. It's this beautiful story for Samuel 352 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 2: one and two. If your invitation, perhaps for this season, 353 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:53,000 Speaker 2: is to peace, I want to invite you to go 354 00:19:53,040 --> 00:19:55,960 Speaker 2: read this story. Hear this story and know that God 355 00:19:56,040 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 2: is not asking you to hide your downcast spirit or 356 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:03,720 Speaker 2: hide your turbulence. He's asking you to bring it to 357 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:07,080 Speaker 2: him so that he can exchange it, so that you 358 00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:09,119 Speaker 2: might lift up your head, that you might live in 359 00:20:09,200 --> 00:20:12,439 Speaker 2: his peace. We don't have to stuff it away, but 360 00:20:12,520 --> 00:20:13,960 Speaker 2: He does give us a place. 361 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:14,240 Speaker 1: To take it. 362 00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:17,040 Speaker 2: And then he asks us to trust Him to take 363 00:20:17,119 --> 00:20:19,880 Speaker 2: care of the thing that we care about. And it's 364 00:20:19,920 --> 00:20:22,320 Speaker 2: only in his presence that we can experience the kind 365 00:20:22,359 --> 00:20:26,240 Speaker 2: of peace that we actually need in the world. Martin Luther, 366 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:28,400 Speaker 2: a famous theologian, said this, and I want to share 367 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:30,119 Speaker 2: this with you because I don't want this to sound 368 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:32,240 Speaker 2: like this is an easy thing to do. Just like 369 00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:35,360 Speaker 2: we talked about with gratitude gratefulness, this has to be cultivated. 370 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:38,080 Speaker 2: It's something that we work on through our whole lives. 371 00:20:38,440 --> 00:20:41,800 Speaker 2: And Martin Luther, this great theologian, said, to be convinced 372 00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:44,600 Speaker 2: in our hearts that we have forgiveness of sins and 373 00:20:44,680 --> 00:20:48,400 Speaker 2: peace with God by grace alone is the hardest thing. 374 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:51,880 Speaker 2: To be convinced in our hearts that we have forgiveness 375 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:54,919 Speaker 2: of sins and peace with God by grace alone is 376 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:57,520 Speaker 2: the hardest thing, like to believe that we can come 377 00:20:57,560 --> 00:21:00,919 Speaker 2: to God with nothing except our anguish and our turbulence 378 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:03,560 Speaker 2: and our distress, and that He wants to exchange that 379 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:04,280 Speaker 2: for his peace. 380 00:21:04,440 --> 00:21:06,879 Speaker 1: Is a hard thing. It is a place of. 381 00:21:06,760 --> 00:21:09,720 Speaker 2: Faith and trust that we grow in day by day, 382 00:21:09,760 --> 00:21:12,600 Speaker 2: and the only way to get stronger in it is 383 00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:15,080 Speaker 2: to do it, to continue to do it, To come 384 00:21:15,119 --> 00:21:17,280 Speaker 2: before the throne of Grace with confidence, to come to 385 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:20,320 Speaker 2: God with confidence, to leave your downcast spirit there so 386 00:21:20,359 --> 00:21:22,000 Speaker 2: that He might lift your head. 387 00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:24,440 Speaker 1: The affirmation I want to offer. 388 00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:28,120 Speaker 2: You, if peaceful is your invitation, is this, I can 389 00:21:28,240 --> 00:21:33,320 Speaker 2: access inter calm in any situation. I can access inner 390 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:35,080 Speaker 2: calm in any situation. 391 00:21:35,480 --> 00:21:36,080 Speaker 1: The way we. 392 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:39,119 Speaker 2: Access that inner calm is through offering our lives and 393 00:21:39,160 --> 00:21:40,000 Speaker 2: our spirit to the. 394 00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:42,679 Speaker 1: Lord Jesus, who gives us that peace. 395 00:21:43,040 --> 00:21:47,040 Speaker 2: That is the promise of peaceful is your invitation to 396 00:21:47,119 --> 00:21:50,879 Speaker 2: gratefulness this year? Is your invitation to peace this year? 397 00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:54,240 Speaker 2: Consider those as you continue to reflect on twenty twenty five, 398 00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:56,160 Speaker 2: and we'll be back with you next. 399 00:21:55,920 --> 00:22:02,520 Speaker 3: Week to study the Bible with Nicole Unis is a 400 00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:05,960 Speaker 3: production of live audio and Salem media. If you like 401 00:22:06,040 --> 00:22:08,480 Speaker 3: what you heard today, please take a second, to rate 402 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:11,719 Speaker 3: and review the podcast in your favorite podcast app, so 403 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:14,000 Speaker 3: that more listeners like you can find the show. 404 00:22:14,840 --> 00:22:15,560 Speaker 1: For more faith 405 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:24,600 Speaker 3: Filled, inspirational podcasts, visit us at lifeaudio dot com.