This weekend I went on a hunting trip several hours north of where I live, and the whole time I was in complete awe of God’s creation. I enjoyed beautiful scenery, gorgeous sunsets, and abundant wildlife. I literally felt surrounded by God the whole time.

Experiences like these always tend to humble a person, because they remind us of the immensity of God. As I sat watching the most beautiful sunset I’ve ever seen, I wasn’t concerned in the least about the trivial things we often get distracted with; I simply soaked in the majesty of my Creator. While I listened to the calls of hundreds upon hundreds of migrating geese, I didn’t care about whether or not I had lots of friends; I was too consumed with the infinite wisdom of our Lord in teaching those geese to fly miles and miles south without the aid of a map or compass and somehow make it to just the right place at just the right time. You see, when we actually take the time to stop and realize the beauty that is all around us, things like pride and selfishness seem to vanish away. After all, who of us has ever made the sun rise?

Perhaps the arrival of the holiday season has you consumed with thoughts of what to cook for Thanksgiving, what to buy relatives for Christmas, and how to make it through December without going bankrupt. Though these thoughts are often unavoidable, could it be that they are distracting you from the true meaning of what we are supposed to be celebrating? Is thankfulness being replaced with greed (“Give me bargains!”), and worship with complaining (“I can’t wait until Christmas is over!”)? If so, let us be reminded of the greatness of our God, and refocus our attention on Him. As Paul said, “…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1)