Searching

Tommy Dillon

A Devotional

A friend of mine has recently had a string of bad dates. In fact they have been so bad, that it caused him to sit down one night and compose a “Dating Creed” and then email it to a group of friends and family. There are 14 points to his creed, but it’s the fourth tenet of his creed that has continuously played in my mind. It reads:

“If you can look around at this planet and still not believe in God,

then you are not the right person for me.”

A holiday can summon a variety of feelings. There are memories of holidays past that no longer represent the way life is now. There are memories of those who will no longer gather around the table with us. There are memories of strained family relationships. However, there is also hope found in the holidays. There is the excitement of a new tradition. There is the excitement of new relationships. There is the excitement of pain overcome.

CNN recently reported that this year Americans will spend $750 million on self-help books, more than $1 billion on motivational speakers and there are more than 100 colleges now offer classes in positive psychology - the science of happiness. The reality is that we are a people in search of happiness looking in many places. Perhaps we need look no further than the world around us. We see God at work in those who will feed the hungry today. We see God at work in the gift of a new life. We see God at work with those who have stood by us in difficult times. If you are struggling today to find what you should be thankful for, I invite you to look, really look, and find where God is at work. My guess is that there are things surrounding you in which to give thanks for. My prayer is that we can find the words to give thanks. This holiday season, I invite you to try Hope for the Holidays.