Friday? Sunny? Easy? Early? Comfortable? Certain? Possible? Reasonable? What?
I'm just really, really thankful. I try to stay that way regardless of what's going on in my life. Sometimes that's really difficult. I know it is for you as well. Here's something the Apostle Paul said about that:
"Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
In our clamour to know and understand God's will, God's plan for our lives, it is easy to overlook how important it is to remain thankful. An attitude of thankfulness is a foundational piece of God's plan for all of us, and if we shoot right past it we wind up being more concerned with what is missing than what is present, what we don't have rather than what we do have. When we are thankful, we place ourselves in a position of being generous with our hearts and minds and attitudes and actions. ThanksGIVING.
ThanksGIVING in the midst of troubling circumstances is the best giving because it is sacrificial giving. It is the best giving because it actually costs us something. That it costs us something means that it isn't always easy. You know...it's easy to be thankful - to give thanks - when everything seems to be going your way. But it is far more difficult to intentionally be thankful in the midst of life's obstacles, speed bumps, and potholes. That's why it is so much more valuable. God's will for you is to be thankful regardless of your circumstances.
So...what are YOU thankful for today?
I'm thankful for so many things, not because life is going swimmingly (my favorite way for things to go), but because my eyes are on Christ, who IS my life. The short list:
ReplyDelete*God's love, grace and mercy...need that every day
*My wonderful husband who is my partner in pothole navigation and every other life-adventure.
*My amazing and talented children, imperfect like their parents, but whose futures are bright and full of potential.
*Community...never before has my life been so full of friends and cheerleaders, which is good because it's never been so full of critics, either.
Thanks for the opportunity to focus on the good stuff this morning!