“In everything give thanks…”
When my aunt was a little girl, while visiting
family friends, she was given some bread for lunch. Then immediately prompted
to display good manners, my grandmother, prodded her with the question, “What
do you sa-a-a-a-y?”
Her answer, after an uncomfortable, pregnant
pause was “Butter!”
Ah, yes, let’s hear it for Ms. Manners,
everyone.
It’s humorous, but too true about human nature,
isn’t it?
Thanksgiving. Gratitude.
We’re inundated with these words and
sentiments this time of year. Kicking off the holiday season in our culture now
means getting a huge turkey which will hopefully not be under or overcooked,
invading family (or being invaded by them), overeating from the all-day feast,
watching football and feeling stressed about the next big holiday- and all the work that one requires.
Thankfulness? Gratitude?
Ideally, yes, that should be our response.
“Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the
circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God
for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will].”
1 Thessalonians 5: 18
1 Thessalonians 5: 18
But
in reality? Eh, not so much. “Butter” seems to be more like it.
Saying this isn’t to condemn anyone into feeling like a pathetic
worm. Human beings are human beings. Sometimes we’re stressed. Sometimes we’re
selfish. Sometimes we’re thoughtless. Sometimes we’re thankless, even when we’ve encountered a holiday which
touts the great gratitude message.
But that doesn’t mean that we, upon awareness
of our imperfect human status, are not capable of being thankful…grateful for something!
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”
for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”
Lamentations 3:22- 23
God loves us constantly, overwhelmingly. He’s
been so good to each one of us. Having trouble coming up with a list? How about
considering these possible reasons for gratitude?
1)
You are alive;
you have the gift of your life. God’s not content to just have you survive,
however. Jeremiah 29:11 informs us of His Will:
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward
you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and
a hope.”
2)
You have a God
Who loves you beyond understanding:
“The LORD hath appeared of old unto me,
saying, ‘Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with
lovingkindness have I drawn thee.’”
Jeremiah
31:3
You may not know it or feel it- you may even
feel the opposite of that great love-
but God has already made up His Mind about you- as you are right now. He loves you. Nothing will change that.
“For I am persuaded that neither
death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present
nor things to come, nor height nor depth nor any other created thing, shall be
able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:38-39
3)
What
about your health? Have you ever thanked God for keeping your heartbeat going?
Have you ever thanked Him for your breath? Have you ever thanked God for
keeping your systems and organs functioning in a healthy manner?
4)
Even
if you’re ill, have you realized- and thanked
God for being your healer?
“…I am the LORD that healeth thee.”
Exodus 15:26
5)
And
for all you have: in family, friends, freedom, prosperity, wellbeing and
comfort, have you thought about God’s role in
that reality?
“The LORD will perfect that which
concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth forever...”
Psalms 138:8
No, life isn’t perfect. There are
problems and issues we face- even on a holiday. And yes, holidays, like
Thanksgiving itself, often amplify the stress and issues in our lives. Still,
God is working with us and fully aware our every thought and feeling.
“How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O
God! how great is the sum of them! If
I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am
still with thee.”
We’re never alone and left
helpless. God IS there; He desires a better life for us.
“Beloved, I wish above all
things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”
3 John 1:2
Stress shouldn’t be an excuse to
be thankless about our lives; it shouldn’t be an excuse to be thankless to a
loving God who thinks about us more than we know. If we’re stressed we can talk
to Him- not in King James English, but as ourselves. Part of that process needs
to include gratitude…
“Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything,
but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite
requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.”
Don’t make gratitude or thanking
God more difficult than it is. It’s simple. It’s recognition of the good
things, the help and the life you’re living right now.
“We give praise and thanks to You, O God, we
praise and give thanks; Your wondrous works declare that Your Name is near and
they who invoke Your Name rehearse Your wonders.”
Take a moment- not even an hour or
a day- and simply stop. Reflect.
Breathe. Thank God now. This time of
year is a great time to practice gratitude. Thanksgiving is more than a
holiday. It’s a way of being. Be thankful.
What do you s-a-a-a-a-ay?
You can get through the holiday
season, as challenging as it is. Why not start with prayer right now, right
where you are?
“Father, I come to You in The Name of Jesus, thanking you for
helping me with my life. You know where I am. You know my struggles, challenges
and stresses. Help me navigate and deal with them, supplying me with Your help,
power and resources. Forgive me for being thankless and taking my life for
granted. Help me, instead, to celebrate it, starting this holiday season. Show
me not only Your goodness and blessings; show me Who You are and who you’ve
created me to be. Thank You. Amen.”
God bless you in your holiday
season!
Copyright © 2014 by Sheryle Cruse
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