Thanksgiving traditionally is a day we gather with family and friends, overeat (which I fully support), watch football, parades, and movies in celebration of the many blessings in our lives. It's a day that we escape the demands of our busy schedules. The idea of thanksgiving is not isolated to a national holiday, but is rooted in scripture. There are numerous scriptures that encourage and even command God's children to live with thankful hearts. And on special days we may find ourselves more conscious to acknowledge our blessings. But is a thankful heart sustainable? After all, most of us live stressful lives in less than perfect circumstances. We face real issues every day. They vary for each of us but are equally stressful. These circumstances weigh on us and warrant most of our attention and energy. With so much of our focus devoted to these stressors, how can we develop and sustain a thankful heart? That's if it's even possible.
16 Rejoice always,17 pray without ceasing,18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5
First we must know the Lord never gives us an impossible command. Now by ourselves they most certainly are impossible. But we are not to follow the Lord's commands on our own. We follow them through His strength. Learning to trust in Him is difficult but necessary in our journey of faith. And we must learn to trust Him with all things! As we trust Him, Jesus supplies all things necessary for us to live the life He has called us to.
Second we must know a thankful heart is cultivated over time. We must practice what scripture encourages us to do. Negativity is highlighted in our society. The headlines lead with the bad, we often share the worst about another persons situation, and we tend to focus on the things that irritate us the most. With all the negativity around us it seems humanly impossible not to be disheartened by life. But remember 'all things are possible with God'. So how do we develop a thankful heart that overflows into our every day life?
Practice thankfulness. Pray daily thanking the Lord for His provisions, love, mercy, and abundant grace. During this time make no petition, utter no other words than those of gratitude. This sets our sights on the good our Heavenly father pours on us.
Renew your mind. Enough with the negativity! Stop thinking destructive, harmful thoughts. Begin filling your mind with the Word of God. His Word reveals His character, His will, and His purpose for our lives. The more junk we put in our mind the more negative our thoughts and attitude will become. The antidote for this is the Word of Life. God's word transforms our thinking. We will be rejuvenated in mind, body, and spirit by spending time in His word.
Worship. Praise the Lord on a regular basis. Sing, dance, meditate, pray, and witness. All of these are forms of worship. Worshiping and exalting God puts our difficulties into perspective. We will find the daily struggles are small in comparison with His might and power.
Choose your words wisely. Be careful what you say to other people and to yourself. We tear down more than we realize. Our words should encourage and uplift others. At times, when appropriate, we must correct brothers and sisters. But even this should be done in love and with wise words. Remember words matter. The more we speak negatively, the less Christ like our speech becomes. Our words are often a reflection of our heart. We must be aware of the message we are conveying to others. If Jesus is everything we claim He is (and He is!) let your words reflect this!
Remember this isn't an overnight exercise. But over time we will see how the Lord replaces our heart with His. Have a great Thanksgiving!
In Christ
Pastor Wes
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