1 Thessalonians 5:18 NKJV
1 Corinthians 15:57-58 NKJV
Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV
BE Grateful
I have to admit that I have a love-hate relationship with Thanksgiving Day. I know in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 we are told “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” And I also know we’re supposed to be “thankful for all things” especially on Thanksgiving Day, but I’ve not always been able to be thankful on Thanksgiving Day.
I was thankful when I was a child because we would drive across town to grandma’s house, eat a great meal, and play with the cousins.
My experience as an adult has been much more difficult. Since my early 30’s I’ve never lived near family. For many of those years I lived at least 5 hours from family.
Today it’s even worse. Only one of my children lives in the same state as me. My other children live 12 hours away, 14 hours away, and 19 hours away from where I live. Traveling on holidays is inevitable for many of us.
Still, scripture tells us “in everything give thanks.”
I’ve been on the planet long enough to know that means I need an attitude adjustment.
So, today I took time to pray and meditate about Thanksgiving.
Whenever I meditate my first step is to take time to connect with God. In order to do that I used to step out of this world into heaven. I think I developed a habit of reaching out for God when I was in Sunday School as a child. I remember looking at pictures of God in heaven and I thought that’s where God resides. That translated to that’s the only place where God resides. While heaven is a real place, I also believe that God is in me. The Spirit of God fills me continuously. In other words, God is closer than we think.
I now know that I don’t need to reach out to connect with God. I can connect to the Spirit of God IN me. Since Father, Son, and Spirit are one, the connection point is IN me.
Once I connect with God I ask Him to teach me about giving thanks. I ask God to show me the way.
Then I wait.
How long? For as long as it takes. Now…when my children were small, running through the house I would pray and wait as I worked. It was different then but I had wonderful moments with God that came unexpectedly. I wasn’t able to wait in the silence. God knew that and He met me where I was at the time.
Today, as I waited I became aware of God’s presence in me. Instinctively I started thanking God for His presence. Then I started thanking God for everyday things that are meaningful. For example, I’ve been making fleece neck warmers and head gear and they keep me warm, so I thanked God for giving me that idea. Everything that blesses me is worthy of giving God thanks.
It may seem strange that a warm hat and neck warmer came to mind when I was thanking God, but since We are to be thankful for everything, that made it important.
1 Corinthians 15:57-58 tells us, “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
I was reminded that everything that is meaningful to me is important to God. Giving thanks for small things is a victory because I am reminded that God is IN every detail of our lives. Everything matters to God. Knowing that reminds me that I matter to God.
You matter to God.
Every detail that is meaningful and important to you matters to God.
Anything that reminds us that God loves us and cares about us even more than we care about ourselves is a victory.
And the Spirit reminds me that I am loved.
It’s not a love that is fleeting. God is steadfast and He gives that to me. God is immovable and so through Him we are immovable. God abounds in work for us and through us, and nothing is in vain. God uses everything that touches us and blesses us for our (both God and us) good.
As the peace of God fills me, I realize that the peace of God is a great blessing. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
With thanksgiving we tell God our deepest desires. My journey has brought me to pray for my Mother who, at 93 talks about heaven a lot. She says she’s not afraid and she’s ready to go there. I remember my children and my children’s children. Each of them are special and unique to God and I feel God’s love for them.
I am grateful, ever so grateful for them.
I am grateful for you…whoever comes joins us together. We are unified in God.
We are blessed and I am grateful.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Today’s Spiritual Practice is: BE Blessed
Let God flood your soul with the blessing of His Spirit.
In God, Deborah
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