Thanksgiving is around the corner. God willing, this will be my 48th. For that and more, I am thankful to God. This time of year, we celebrate traditions and make memories. We travel, gather, cook, fellowship, watch sports, and some of us (myself included) eat way more than we should. Some may even get up to cook early, and if your custom is similar to ours, you may even watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
We can all agree Thanksgiving 2020 will be painfully different. Many of us have suffered the loss of close loved ones and this will be our first holiday season without them. I personally feel this loss too: in April and October I lost an uncle and cousin that were like fathers to me and grandfathers to our girls. So many from our church families and communities have endured sickness and painful loss of dear loved ones. I also know God has seen us through this far and I believe He will continue to supply all our needs, especially when we come to Him. This is a daily challenge especially in the midst of a pandemic. There have been too many lost lives, not to mention the ripple effects of racial injustice, overall division in our churches, nation and world. Through it all, God still wants us to acknowledge Him.
I pray we can still find thankfulness and love in our hearts. I pray we grab and hold onto anything positive with a tight grip. I pray we speak out loud and thank God for the blessings we've had despite the set backs.
Despite canceled trips, my girls are still safe and still got to graduate.
Despite the loss of loved ones, I still have unforgettable memories I will cherish forever.
Despite walking through the dark valley of Covid myself in September, I am thankful that God spared me to see another day. My journey was another reminder that none of us knows the time or hour we will cross over to eternity. We must spend each day in a posture of Thankful Praise. Believers know none of us exist because we've been so good or faithful to God; we exist because of God's Grace and Mercy.
Despite how we behave in this world He created for us, and despite us turning away from Him; God remains Good and Faithful to us. That is reason to Give Thanks.
Colossians 1:16
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
My prayer is for each person that is struggling emotionally and spiritually to talk to The Lord and let Him know your troubles. If you you are seeking a reason to be thankful despite what you see, hear and feel; please stop, look up and seek God in prayer. He is the only one that sees everything we are facing and will give us His strength to endure. God is the only one that can renew our minds and help us focus on what is important in life: Loving Him, obeying His Word and loving one another.
Question:
Now that you've prayed, how can you show in action that you're truly thankful?
Saying it and posting it is not enough. We will see hundreds of social media posts, but God is concerned with the sincere thankfulness in our hearts.
Answer:
We show God we are sincerely thankful by being obedient to His Word. Being thankful to The Lord should be a constant state we remain in, no matter what is going on around us. Despite what you have or have lost, I pray we will ALL keep a "Hallelujah, Thank you Jesus!" Praise in our Spirit, because He is Worthy.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Psalm 105:1
Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!
Psalm 106:1
Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!
Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Colossians 3:15-17
15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
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