Saturday, November 24, 2012
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Thanksgiving
November is the time that many of us focus on the many blessings that God has brought into our lives over the past year. Many will gather around the dinner table, heavy with turkey and stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy and pies to celebrate family and the material things that adorn our lives. By the time the football games kick off and the turkey induced naps take over, our minds will be transitioning from thankfulness to the Black Friday sales and the holiday celebration that will follow.
Now don't get me wrong, I am as thankful as the next guy. In fact, I may be more thankful than most. This past year, God has given me a great perspective on life and his goodness. I have a wonderful family, beautiful wife, three children who love God and are pursuing his will for their lives, and I serve an amazing church at MCN. It is very easy for me to see God's hand in life.
My problem is this, it seems to me that those of us who call ourselves Jesus followers should be thankful every day of the year. Paul says in I Thessalonians, "Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live." (I Thessalonians 5.16-18 The Message) It seems to me that this admonition is pretty clear. When you couple that with the immense number of times the rest of scripture calls us to be thankful, that our gratitude is a pretty important component to our spirituality.
An attitude of gratitude that looks for things for which to give praise focuses differently than one which homes in on the negative. A person with a gratitude attitude can be happy no matter what the circumstances and can find the good in just about anything. A person with an attitude of gratitude can see the good in the people around them and enjoy folks, just because they are who they are.
The fact is that far too many people focus on the negative around them. They see people's shortcomings and faults. Such people are often joyless, bitter, and sullen. They live beneath their grace.
I invite you to cultivate a Thanksgiving attitude every day of the upcoming year. Look for the little ways that God has blessed you. Take joy in the little moments of joy and happiness. Take my challenge and see how much better your life becomes...
Just pondering.
Now don't get me wrong, I am as thankful as the next guy. In fact, I may be more thankful than most. This past year, God has given me a great perspective on life and his goodness. I have a wonderful family, beautiful wife, three children who love God and are pursuing his will for their lives, and I serve an amazing church at MCN. It is very easy for me to see God's hand in life.
My problem is this, it seems to me that those of us who call ourselves Jesus followers should be thankful every day of the year. Paul says in I Thessalonians, "Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live." (I Thessalonians 5.16-18 The Message) It seems to me that this admonition is pretty clear. When you couple that with the immense number of times the rest of scripture calls us to be thankful, that our gratitude is a pretty important component to our spirituality.
An attitude of gratitude that looks for things for which to give praise focuses differently than one which homes in on the negative. A person with a gratitude attitude can be happy no matter what the circumstances and can find the good in just about anything. A person with an attitude of gratitude can see the good in the people around them and enjoy folks, just because they are who they are.
The fact is that far too many people focus on the negative around them. They see people's shortcomings and faults. Such people are often joyless, bitter, and sullen. They live beneath their grace.
I invite you to cultivate a Thanksgiving attitude every day of the upcoming year. Look for the little ways that God has blessed you. Take joy in the little moments of joy and happiness. Take my challenge and see how much better your life becomes...
Just pondering.
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