I wish I could say, “Don’t worry…be happy!” Some days, some weeks, and even some months seem too filled with trouble, fear, and uncertainty to even say this, much less sing the song. (You really should click on the link and watch the video that goes with this song. I had not watched it in a while and had forgotten that Robin Williams was in this video. It made me smile to see him again and his silly antics.)
No, uncertain times can’t be fixed with a cute song or silly dances. However, there is something that you can do in the face of uncertain times: LOVE.
Love is an expression of faith. We read in Galatians 5:6 (NRSV)- “For in Christ Jesus…the only thing that counts is faith working through love.” Love is the action that reveals our Christian faith, and faith without action, James 2:17 tells us, is dead. It is merely an idea without impact.
True faith moves, serves and gives. True faith feeds the hungry, comforts the broken, and loves unconditionally.
- Generosity reflects trust in God and God’s provision.
- Service demonstrates Christ’s heart.
- Love embodies The Spirit’s presence.
True faith thrives when expressed in generosity, service, and love.
The Lenten season is a wonderful time to celebrate love and others. In doing so, you can change your mood and bring about the “happy” the song talks about.
In fact, gratitude has been proven to benefit us. The Mayo Clinic gives the lowdown:
Expressing gratitude is associated with a host of mental and physical benefits. Studies have shown that feeling thankful can improve sleep, mood, and immunity. Gratitude can decrease depression, anxiety, difficulties with chronic pain, and risk of disease.
In the most recent Discipleship Ministries e-newsletter, I found this idea:
Coins for Lent! The idea is to show appreciation for the many blessings we have in daily, tangible ways that result in helping others after Lent. (This is a kid-friendly idea, so get your whole family involved!) It combines generosity with service, ultimately revealing Christ’s sacrificial love of Good Friday along with the amazing hope of Easter. Here’s a link to the Coins for Lent Lenten calendar.
While I have your attention and thinking about generosity, it is not too early to start planning for a fall generosity campaign (some call it a stewardship campaign). We are taking registrations for our upcoming Consecration Sunday Training event on Monday, May 19, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm in the Dixon Chapel of the NCCUMC building in Garner. We would love to help you help others grow in generosity, and Consecration Sunday is a great program for this very thing. Follow this link to register today and register someone to come with you, too. Because generosity is so vital to the work we do at UMF, we will provide your Consecration Sunday materials, feed you a delicious lunch, and do it all for the low cost of ZERO! Now that’s something to sing and be happy about!
This article was submitted by Rev. Lynn Benson, Director of Legacy Giving for the United Methodist Foundation, Inc. If you would like more information regarding UMF, you can contact Lynn at lbenson@umfnc.org.