Be Thankful In All Things
I’m sure you all have seen the 30 days of thankfulness on social media and going around the room on Thanksgiving Day and saying what we are thankful for. And I love that and participate, but are we thankful on the other 335 days of the year?
I know I am guilty of not being thankful in all things. (which brings me to point # 1)
1. BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE.
I can thank God all day long for having a home, car, job etc. But if I don’t like my house because it is old, small, not beautiful etc., I am just saying words. I am not thankful and content with what god has given me.
Tell Greenway Dr story.
Philippians 4:11 says
11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. Philippians 4:11 (NLT)
Psalms 92:4 says
4 You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me!
I sing for joy because of what you have done.(NLT)
2. HAVE TRUE CONTENTMENT IN JESUS.
If I only thank God when I am in good health and question where he is when I get sick, or diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, infertility, cancer etc. and I become fearful, then I am not walking in contentment with Jesus.
Definition of Content: in a state of peaceful happiness.
Colossians 3:15 says
15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Colossians 3:15 (NLT)
Did you know you can have a health scare and still be happy and have peace?
It took longer than I like to admit learning this. (Mention infertility & miscarriage)
But when I had a breast cancer scare last year I did exactly that! I walked in peace and happiness.
When I was 9 God healed me by taking away all 102 of the warts on my hands literally overnight and imagine my surprise when a wart popped up on my ring finger last month (same hand where they were the worst) I surprised myself by not worrying lol. I could have focused on the ridicule, hate and tears (explain) and thought oh no it is happening again. But instead, I remembered what God had done and thanked him that I have spent the last 36 years wart free. I thanked him that it was only one and not 10. I thanked him that my mom had a diamond ring I could borrow until I could wear mine again and I thanked him that just like the others this one would die too.
Philippians 4:6-7 (one of my favorite scriptures, says)
6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)
Now, there is one area that I am still a work in progress, and many of you can probably relate to as well, and I will admit sometimes this is really, hard to do but as the scriptures say I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Yes, even hard things! Like…
3. BE THANKFUL EVEN WHEN THINGS GO WRONG
Have you ever had a really bad day?
Did you just want to scream, cry, & build a blanket fort and hide from the world?
Has everything that could go wrong did?
You over slept, were late to work, then you spilled coffee on your new shirt, computer crashed you lost everything you were working on, the presentation you gave didn’t go as planned, didn’t get the job you interviewed for, had a falling out with a friend, had a fight with your spouse, and your kids were dancing on your very last nerve. And the last thing on your mind when you went to bed was Thanking God for anything at all.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says
18 in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (AMP)
And Ephesians 5:20 says
20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20 (ESV)
So how do you do that? Stop yourself and start thanking God. (work in progress) In that moment when everything is going wrong, thank Him for your salvation, like 1 Corinthians says in chapter 15 verse 57
57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57 (NLT)
And Luke 17:16
16 He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. . . . Luke 17:16 (NLT)
If that is the only thing you can be thankful for in that moment, it’s ok, it’s a start. I promise, that once you start thanking God for saving you and you enter His courts with Thanksgiving and praise like the Psalms say, you will find other things to thank Him for and that bad day won’t be so bad anymore.
Colossians 2:7 says
7 Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Colossians 2:7 (NLT)
Final Thought
The more we begin to thank him the easier it will become until we are walking in true contentment with God, no Matter the circumstance we will find something to be thankful for and as we thank him and praise him and give thanks in all things our perspective will change as we realize there is always something to be thankful for and as we make a conscience effort to walk in thankfulness it will ultimately change our heart. And we will do what Colossians 2:7 says we will “7 Let (our) roots grow down into Him, and let (our) lives be built on him. Then (our) faith will grow strong in the truth (we) were taught, and (we) will overflow with thankfulness.”
Can you imagine how our lives will change when we are overflowing with thankfulness and the lives of those around us?
PRAY
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