Every minute of every day, be thankful!
“Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His Name…All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day...Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; His love endures forever...Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Psalm 100:4; 2 Corinthians 4:15-16; 1 Chronicles 16:34; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
and I mean it! Pulling for you, Abba
I can just hear our God saying to me…
Understand this my child. I know this world hands out brutal circumstances. But you must remember - all these circumstances are temporary. In the face of eternity, they are but a minute fraction of a moment in time. Yes, I know they are awful and painful and sometimes devastating in the moment. I take this pain very seriously. Know and believe that I am very much in process of dealing with the adversary in a very permanent way. But in this journey, if you are to be victorious, you determine your response - in defeat or in gratitude. Despite the dark clouds of despair, you have an unwavering Savior and so when asked, “How are you?”, your response is always, “I am great - I have a Savior who has already won the victory.” I understand that some
times it is hard. There have been times when it seemed impossible. But day by day, decision by decision, you can overcome and become thankful despite the circumstances. And with each passing day, it will be easier. I promise you. And I always keep My promises.
Your turn... Begin by repeating aloud the following scripture three times or as many times as you need for memorizing, “I will extol the LORD at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.” Psalm 34:1 Start and end every day with this scripture and follow the scripture with a listing in alphabetical order what you are thankful for. The list can be people in your life like Andrea, Bob, Carolyn... or places like Australia, Boston, Cairo ... or foods like avocado, bacon, carrots. Bottom line, you are constantly surrounded by gifts to be thankful for so begin and end and spend your days in gratitude My child. Establish this habit. It will make a huge difference in your perspective, your attitude, your ability and in the way others see you.
As you finish your list pray joyfully…
“Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. In His hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him. The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care.”
Psalm 95:1-7
