"Thankful"

Reflections4Life November 23^rd, 2014

“Thankful”

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.” Psalm 100:4-5 NKJV

Scripture Contemplation: 2 Samuel 7:18; Psalm 100; Ephesians 5:20; Philippians 1; Colossians 3:15…

There is so much gratitude in my heart today that it feels as though it will soon burst forth in a million tears. There are times that we take for granted the blessing and miracle of waking up to a new day. Instead of saying "Thank You", we're complaining. What does a spirit of complaining and wining accomplish? Absolutely nothing! Yet, a grateful heart, filled with thanksgiving, despite what may be transpiring, opens the windows and doors to the manifestations of the blessings that God has ordained for you all along! I thank God for one more day of life, and another chance to be my best.

I declare and decree that this week’s Reflections will continue to serve as encouragement and inspiration for your heart, mind, and soul. Allow the presence of God room in your life to shine a light on the many blessings that we can often overlook because of the trials we so often face. Let the mind and heart of Christ rest in you.

A lot can be accomplished with two little words: Thank You. However, there are many of us walking around that have barely uttered those words in a very long time, because they have fallen into the trap of constantly complaining, and immediately acknowledging what’s wrong instead seeing and being thankful for what is right.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving this week, I wonder how many of us will be filled with hearts of gratitude? How many of us will be able to stop counting and listing what is wrong, and be grateful for what is right; even if it’s one thing? I find it is far much easier to complain than it is to say thank you. But that’s the way the world is wired: to see the negative first. Yet, with Christ, though things may not always go as we hoped or planned, and be to our liking; it is a heart of gratitude and thanksgiving that ushers in the blessings of the Father—in spite of anything we may be going through.

We must learn to train our thoughts and our mouths to being able to acknowledge and recognize the good instead of concentrating on the bad. And an excellent way to do this is to practice with a grateful heart. To, practice being thankful and saying thank you.

Of course there are many negative things around us. Of course some of our lives feel as though we have nothing to be thankful for. Of course there are days when you feel anything but grateful. However, this is the reason we must learn to choose at least one thing at the end of the day that we can honestly say and be thankful for.

How about I help you out with one? It’s kind of quite obvious—LIFE. Be thankful for waking up to a brand new day. A day filled with possibilities and promises and opportunities. Another day to get things right. Another day in the land of the living, with the chance to make long lasting changes in your life.

I know for myself that I can and have taken for granted the gift of waking up in the morning. Life is a major miracle! Yet, many of us look at life with dread, instead of gratitude. I can recall waking up, and instead of be grateful for life, I immediately complained. I complained about what wasn’t right, what I didn’t like, what I hated. Nowhere in my diatribe did I stop to say: Thank you God for the gift of life. Thank you for the breath in my body and the life in my blood. Thank You for giving me another opportunity to receive your blessings.

Nope! None of that was said. I was too preoccupied with the things I didn’t have; the way things hadn’t gone; with the imperfections of my life, that I had completely overlooked the love and care that the Father had bestowed up me. I didn’t acknowledge His gift if life and second chances. I hadn’t acknowledge the fact that here I was, alive and with the ability to think and do for myself, when so many others have lost their lives. When, there were so many others who didn’t have a bed to sleep in or clothes to wear, or food to fill their bellies.

Don’t get it twisted! Yes, there are times when we will acknowledge the less than favorable things in our lives. But it should never be to the exclusion of recognizing the precious gift that God has given…life. Nor should we become so preoccupied with what’s wrong that we never utter the words Thank You for all the many things that are right.

These past three weeks, I have seen and heard of so many deaths; some that I knew personally. It served as a reminder of the precious gift that life is, that we all too often take for granted. It reminded me also of all the many things I have to be thankful for in my life, and that it all outweighs and trumps the things I can find to complain and be unhappy about.

Develop your heart of gratitude. Start with thanking God every time he wakes you in the morning. Life is too short to have nothing but regrets and a heart that cannot find at least one thing to be thankful for.

I thank God for life. For another opportunity to live it to its fullest. To, learn to concentrate on His goodness and promises, and not yield to easy route of complaining. I also am thankful for YOU. For your continued support and fellowship. I pray that God’s goodness and mercy will be continue to cover you! Praying you and yours have a very thankful Thanksgiving!

I decree that the spirit of peace and prosperity has found permanent rest in your lives. Give thanks with a grateful heart. When you find yourself going to complain first, think on at least one thing, and begin to thank God. When your praises go up the blessings come down. A thankful heart opens up doors and makes a path for the gifts of the Spirit to flow freely in your life. Happy Thanksgiving! You are Blessed. Now go…and Be a Blessing!

©2014. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.