Give Thanks
Abrham Lincoln said that “most people are about as happy as they have decided to be.” As we turn our attention to Thanksgiving this week, I’d like to amend that a bit to say, “most people are about as thankful as they have decided to be.”
“Now Mike,” you may ask, “are you telling me that if I do not feel grateful, God will accept my thanks anyway?”
Frankly, I believe He will. God commands us to be grateful; and what He commands He blesses and gives the ability to carry out. God does not command us to be grateful because He needs our gratitude as much as WE need to be grateful!
You see, without thankfulness our souls shrivel up and drown in a sea of selfishness. The thankless soul is a miserable soul. It is discontent, angry, and dissatisfied. The ingrate ignores the obvious blessings God has bestowed on him to his own detriment. That is why He holds us accountable for our choices and why ingratitude is a sin. But it does not need to be that way.
We are free agents and have been given the ability by our Creator to choose our attitude. So, what do I do if I do not feel like giving thanks? The answer is simple though counterintuitive.
To develop an attitude of gratitude, write down all the things for which you can be thankful. Don’t worry about how you feel. As you write, tell your heavenly Father about your struggle, and ask Him to help you. I guarantee that He will, and by the time you finish your list, praise and thanksgiving will start to well up in your heart.
This Thanksgiving why not make it your aim to remain in a spirit of praise and watch how God blesses your activities. Are you alone? Take the time to call someone and express your gratitude for their influence of grace in your life. Do you have difficult family relationships to navigate? Thank the Lord for your family, warts and all. God will bless your obedience in this area.
The wonderful thing about Thanksgiving is that anyone can be grateful. You do not need a special degree or lots of money or expensive toys. So, set your heart on the path of gratitude and watch the Lord bless your ways. He is faithful! Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Paraclete Men’s Ministries.