I'm Thankful For...

The attitude of gratitude is often not an easy one to have. Though the Lord has given us more than enough supply, we struggle to give Him thanks. This is because our sinful flesh does not want to trust God. We actually doubt God.

I want to encourage you, by God's grace, kill this sinful attitude. Christ has freed us from our sin that we may live for Him (Romans 6-8, 2 Corinthians 5:14-21). Simply start by praying thanksgiving to God. Thank Him for:

Good things.

Our God is holy and awesome (Ps. 111:9). Be thankful for who He is! Look up Scriptures on the character of God, and thank Him. (See Exodus 34 - the glory/Person of the LORD).

Thank Him for the eternal realities that He has created. For example, we have eternal life with Him (Jn. 3:16; Rev. 21-22)! Thank Him for salvation, hope, the word, the promises of God, His presence, His church.

Thank Him for all that He is for us in Christ. (Romans and many other passages detail this).

Thank Him for other blessings such as family, friends, food, clothes, the different seasons that He faithfully brings about. And the list goes on!

Psalm 103:1-5 lists several things to thank God for.

Thank God for adversity. Job 2:10 says, "...Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?" When we read the Bible, we see that God's has glorious plans from eternity past to eternity future. I once heard it said that God's plans are like an intricate tapestry; knotty and indecipherable on one side but beautiful on the other side as a result.

God uses the difficult things in life to sanctify (cf. Rom. 8:28; Jas. 1), so thank Him for them. When you're anxious, sick or tired, thank God that moment. This is His will for us (1 Thess. 5:16-18). This is trusting Him.

In closing, memorize and meditate on passages about thankfulness: 1 Thess. 5:16-18; Eph. 5:20;  Col. 3:17; Ps. 50:14; 100; 136 etc.). Pray that you'll be more thankful. Discipline yourself to pray thanksgiving to God, by His grace and the power of the Holy Spirit. Once you start responding to His Spirit leading you to be thankful, you will begin overflowing with thankfulness!