THM Blog

Tag: friendships

  • God Owns Everything—We Are Stewarts

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    God’s Gifts Are Meant for Eternity

    “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.”
    — Matthew 6:19–20

    Every good thing we possess is a gift from God.

    Our health, our strength, our talents, our homes, our families, our friendships, and even the opportunities placed before us each day come from His loving hand. We often speak about what we have “earned,” but behind every accomplishment stands the God who gave us life, the ability to work, and the blessings that made success possible.

    The Book of James reminds us:

    “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.”
    — James 1:17

    Because everything belongs to God, we are not owners—we are stewards.

    God entrusts us with His gifts for a time. He asks us to use them wisely, to care for our families, to strengthen our communities, to help those in need, and above all, to glorify Him.

    When success comes, thank Him.

    When prosperity comes, thank Him.

    When health is strong, thank Him.

    And if one day He chooses to take those blessings back, thank Him again for allowing you to enjoy them for however long He saw fit.

    Job understood this profound truth after losing nearly everything he possessed:

    “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
    — Job 1:21

    Those words are not easy to live, but they reveal a heart that trusted God more than possessions.

    Keep Your Eyes on Eternity

    Life moves quickly.

    The house we build will someday belong to someone else.

    The car we proudly drive will eventually wear out.

    Money comes and goes.

    Even our earthly bodies grow older.

    Everything around us is temporary.

    Only one thing lasts forever—our eternal soul.

    That is why Jesus continually reminded His followers to keep their hearts fixed on Heaven.

    Every decision we make should be measured against one simple question:

    Will this help bring me closer to God and prepare me for eternity?

    When we keep our eyes on Heaven, disappointments lose much of their sting, and successes become opportunities to praise God rather than ourselves.

    Living for the Eternal Reward

    It is interesting how faithfully we obey the rules of our employer.

    We arrive at work on time.

    We follow company policies.

    We complete assignments.

    We strive to do our best because, at the end of the week, we expect a paycheck.

    Yet that paycheck may be spent before the day is over. Bills are paid, groceries are bought, expenses arise, and the money is gone.

    How strange it is that many people work so diligently for rewards that disappear, while giving so little attention to the reward that never fades.

    God has already shown us the path to eternal life.

    He calls us to:

    • Keep His Commandments.
    • Love God with all our heart.
    • Love our neighbor as ourselves.
    • Practice humility, charity, patience, honesty, forgiveness, and purity.
    • Receive His grace through prayer and the sacraments.
    • Live lives that reflect Christ.

    Unlike an earthly employer, God does not ask us to earn His love. He freely offers it. But He does ask us to respond with faithful, obedient hearts.

    The Virtues Build the Road to Heaven

    The saints remind us that holiness is not usually found in dramatic moments but in ordinary faithfulness.

    Each act of kindness…

    Each quiet prayer…

    Each sacrifice made for another…

    Each temptation resisted…

    Each word of forgiveness…

    These become stepping stones leading toward Heaven.

    Virtue shapes our character until we begin to resemble Christ Himself.

    The more we practice love, humility, generosity, courage, patience, and faith, the more prepared our souls become for eternal life.

    Our Greatest Investment

    Wise investors look for what will produce lasting returns.

    Jesus tells us that the greatest investment we can ever make is not in the stock market, real estate, or a retirement account.

    Our greatest investment is in eternity.

    Every prayer offered with love…

    Every act of mercy…

    Every soul encouraged…

    Every sacrifice made for God…

    These are treasures that can never be lost.

    They accompany us beyond the grave.

    A Final Thought

    God has blessed each of us in different ways.

    Cherish those blessings.

    Use them for His glory.

    Love your family.

    Serve your community.

    Help those who cannot repay you.

    And if life changes tomorrow, remember to thank God for every blessing He allowed you to enjoy.

    Above all, keep your eyes, your mind, and your soul fixed on Heaven.

    Everything else will one day pass away.

    But eternal life with God will never end.

    “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?”
    — Mark 8:36

    May we spend our lives not merely earning a paycheck that lasts a day, but pursuing the Kingdom that lasts forever.

    Thank you for reading this blog. Please share with others.

    Rick Herring
    thmjmj@gmail.com

    P.S. Please Click Here to learn about the THM mission and join us in building a loving, carying, sharing community.

  • Are You Exhausted? Perhaps You Are Resisting God

    “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28

    Have you ever felt completely worn out—not just physically, but deep in your soul? You may sleep, take a break, or even escape for a few hours, yet the weariness remains.

    Sometimes our deepest exhaustion does not come from how much we are doing. It comes from how hard we are trying to control what was never ours to carry.

    There is a quiet but painful truth many of us resist:

    Resisting God is exhausting.

    The Weight of Refusing to Surrender

    We often believe that if we can just try harder, think smarter, plan better, or worry more, we can fix our lives. We cling tightly to our plans, our fears, our schedules, our dreams, and even our disappointments.

    We say things like:

    • “I have to make this work.”
    • “I cannot let go.”
    • “What if everything falls apart?”
    • “I need to know what will happen next.”

    But the harder we grip, the more tired we become.

    When we refuse to surrender to God, we live as though everything depends on us. We carry burdens that were never meant for our shoulders. We fight battles in our own strength. We attempt to force open doors God may have closed, or we stand trembling before doors He has not yet opened.

    No wonder we are exhausted.

    The soul was not created to live apart from trust in God.

    What Does It Mean to Surrender to God?

    To completely surrender to God is to place our entire being—our hopes, fears, plans, relationships, and future—into His hands.

    Surrender is not giving up. It is giving over.

    It is not weakness. It is trust.

    It is not a one-time act, but a daily decision to yield our control, and even our desires, to the One who knows us better than we know ourselves.

    At the heart of surrender is this truth:

    “I trust that God’s plans for my life are good, even when I do not understand my current circumstances.”

    That sentence captures the heart of surrender.

    To surrender is to say:

    • “Lord, I do not understand this, but I trust You.”
    • “I cannot carry this any longer, so I place it in Your hands.”
    • “Your will is wiser than mine.”
    • “Your timing is better than my own.”

    This kind of trust is not natural for most of us. We want answers. We want certainty. We want control.

    But God asks for something deeper than control. He asks for faith.

    Why Surrender Brings Peace

    The moment we stop fighting God and begin trusting Him, something changes inside us.

    Our circumstances may not change immediately. The problem may still be there. The diagnosis may remain. The relationship may still be broken. The future may still seem uncertain.

    But our hearts become lighter.

    Why?

    Because peace does not come from knowing everything.

    Peace comes from knowing God.

    When we surrender, we stop demanding that God explain Himself before we trust Him. Instead, we remember who He is:

    • He is good.
    • He is faithful.
    • He is loving.
    • He is present.
    • He is working, even when we cannot see it.

    Scripture reminds us:

    “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” — Proverbs 3:5

    God never asked us to understand everything. He asked us to trust Him.

    The Daily Practice of Surrender

    Surrender is rarely dramatic. Usually, it happens quietly, one day at a time.

    Sometimes surrender means:

    • Releasing a fear you have carried for years.
    • Letting go of resentment.
    • Trusting God with your children or grandchildren.
    • Accepting that you cannot change another person.
    • Waiting patiently when God seems silent.
    • Saying, “Not my will, but Yours be done.”

    Every morning we have a choice:

    Will we cling tightly to our own way and become more exhausted?

    Or will we open our hands and trust God with what we cannot control?

    The more we surrender, the more we discover that God is trustworthy.

    And the more we trust Him, the less exhausted we become.

    A Prayer of Surrender

    Lord,

    I am tired.

    I have been carrying burdens You never asked me to carry. I have tried to control what only You can hold.

    Today I surrender my fears, my plans, my worries, my future, and my need to understand everything.

    Teach me to trust You.

    Help me believe that Your plans for my life are good, even when I cannot see where You are leading me.

    Give me the courage to open my hands and rest in Your love.

    Amen.

    Final Thought

    If you are exhausted today, perhaps the answer is not to strive harder.

    Perhaps the answer is to surrender.

    The God who created you never intended for you to carry life alone. He invites you to lay down your burdens, trust His heart, and find the rest your soul has been longing for.

    Because resisting God is exhausting.

    But surrendering to Him brings peace.

    Thank you for reading this article. Please share with others.

    Rick Herring
    thmjmj@gmail.com