“In everything give thanks…”
When my aunt was a little girl, while
visiting family friends, she and my grandparents were given some bread for
lunch. She was then immediately prompted to display good manners, from my
grandmother, prodding her with the question, “What do you sa-a-a-a-y?” Everyone waited to see if my aunt would provide the
correct response.
So, what was her answer, after an uncomfortable,
pregnant pause?
“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!
That’s even more important if we’re
faced with the challenge of recovery from disorders and addictions. We need a
God who has already promised us He would be our help:
“For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto
thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
Isaiah 41:13
That means everything concerning us.
It covers our issues, our addictions, disorders, problems and yes, our holiday
stress. And you and I are stressing, aren’t we?
And there’s more good news: God’s
Mercy.
“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. Again, in our lives, no
matter what we’ve experienced, there’s always something to be thankful for. 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 loves unconditionally and 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.”
And remember: God loves
you, is for you and will help you
through it all! God bless you in your holiday season!
Copyright © 2015 by Sheryle Cruse
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