Thanksgiving A Way Of Life
Tuesday October 14, 2014
When thanksgiving becomes a way of life, rather than a day of celebration on the calendar, life changes for us. This involves seeing all that "is" rather than all that "isn't." God's comforting and providing presence becomes the first thing we choose to acknowledge, wherever we may be, because His promise to us is that He will never leave us nor forsake us. God promises to always take care of us.
God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you". (Hebrews 13:5 NLT)
We can find God's faithful presence and care in every circumstance in every day. Living in that wonderful care of God can become a way of life (with a few speed bumps of course). We do not need to stay locked in the darkness of our past because we always have the light of God’s presence with us. That's reason to be forever grateful.
Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT)
Even though the truth is that God is with us, our day to day lives still have problems and challenges, some of which seem overwhelming. How can we give thanks when the world around us seems to be falling apart? There are pressures in relationships, worries about finances which bring anxious thoughts about whether we will have enough money for food and rent tomorrow. Life sometimes isn't what we thought it would be. The furniture is broken down. The kitchen is cluttered. The kids are acting up. There's no money for laundry. How are we to give thanks in the middle of all that? What is there to be grateful for?
To be able to give thanks in the tough times we remember that we no longer have to face the tough times alone. God has invited us not to worry about anything but to pray about everything and He promises to help us. God assures us that nothing in all creation, and that includes hard times, will be able to separate us from His love. Amazingly, God will work with all of our difficulties and turn them into good, if we will pray and seek His help.
I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:12-13 NLT)
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)
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. (Romans 8:28 NLT)
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