Two Lessons - By Abbie Elliott

TWO BOXES:

I have in my hands two boxes which God gave me to hold.  He said, "Put all your sorrows in the black box and all your joys in the gold box."  I heeded His words, and in the two boxes I put both my joys and my sorrows.  But though the gold became heavier each day, the black was as light as before.  With curiousity I opened the black box.  I wanted to find out why it was so light.  I saw in the black box a hole in which my sorrows had fallen out.  I showed the hole to God, and mused aloud..."I wonder where my sorrows could be."  God smiled a gentle smile at me and said; "My child, they're all home with me."  I asked, "God, why give me the boxes?  Why the gold and the black with the hole?"  He replied, "My child, the gold is for you to count your blessings and the black is for you to let go."

There are two lessons to be learned in this story: 1. Count your blessings and 2. Let go of your sorrows and mistakes. 

Counting yoru blessings is all about being grateful for what we have or even those experiences that bring us joy.  God has created us to be creatures of emotion so much that He blesses us with fun or laughter.  Why not smile about or after a prayer of thanks?  Glorify Him for those smiles He gives you!

The second lesson of letting go of sadness or guilt is a little harder to do.  Sometimes we hold onto our negative past because we think our "black box" is just too full for God.  Well guess what?  THE BLACK BOX IS EMPTY!  So treat it like it is.  You say "sin" and God says "What sin?"  For that...Glorify God.  He is great...ain't He?

Some verses to help:

2 Samuel 12:13 - (Nathan is talking to King David) "Then David confessed to Natha, I have sinned against the Lord.  Nathan replied, yes, and the Lord has forgiven you and you won't die for this sin."

Isaiah 38:17 "Yes, this anguish was good for me, for you have rescued me from death and have forgiven all my sins."

Isaiah 43:25 "I, yes I alone - will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again."

Psalm 103:12 "He has removed our sins as far as the east is from the west."