Monday Morning Encouragement -- Give Thanks

 

"give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Pastor Chuck Smith told the story of a Mission that had a Saturday night service with testimonies. People would stand up and testify about what God had done for them that week. One man was very poor, yet he always gave a testimony filled with thanks to the Lord, despite the poverty and adversity in his life. One night he shared how he was walking down the street and saw a one dollar bill lying on the pavement, and he was so thankful. He went to the market and bought a dollar's worth of ground beef. 

He thought "I'm going to have meat for dinner!" As he was on his way home, just thinking about how wonderful it would be to have meat for dinner, he noticed that his shoestring was untied, and so he sat on the curb to tie it, and while he did a dog came up, grabbed his package of ground beef, and ran off. There was another man sitting there in the Mission who as Chuck said, "was a negative sort", and was annoyed that this guy was always giving thanks, and so he spoke up and said, "Yeah, what do you have to be thankful for now?" The man answered, "I thank God I still have my appetite."

What a great illustration of how to go through life with a thankful heart. No matter how adverse our circumstances, if we look around we will find something to thank God for. 

A friend of mine when going through breast cancer treatments, started a journal where every day she listed 5 blessings she had received that day. This practice helped her focus on the good things God was doing in her life, and after her recovery from cancer she continued to keep her "5 blessings journal."

As we approach Thanksgiving Day, it's good to acknowledge the many blessings we have received this year, and to thank God for them. But it's in the ordinary days we face the other 364 days where an attitude of thanksgiving to our Lord and Savior should be front and center in our lives. He is so worthy!

Today's music video I Am Thankful was written for children and families by Angie Killian, James Stevens, & Joelle Einerson. It is so sweet, and the images are so uplifting and beautiful. I hope you will play it.

I love you, I'm thinking of you, and I'm praying for you.

Happy Thanksgiving!