Friday, October 9, 2009
Being Thankful
Giving thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus, is easier said than done!
How can we be thankful when...we live in such a negative world? Or have children who are rebelling against God! And no matter how hard you work your finances are not increasing !
Just remember this...
The seeds of discouragement and complaining cannot grow in a thankful heart!
Learn to lay your needs before the Lord and wait in expectation!
Consider what you can be thankful for and the positive list will quickly overtake the negative.
Start right now to think only on the good things in your life instead of the problems.
As we begin to give thanks to the Lord we will grow to realize that His love endures forever...not just for one day.
And He deserves a whole lifetime of our thanksgiving!
Write it on your heart....this will be the best day of my life!
There are 86,400 seconds that God has given to each of us in a 24 hour day.
Can you spare just a few of those seconds to say thank you?
If you do He will complete His perfect work in you.
He will make a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.
Thank Him!
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Thank you for your important insight on thankfulness. I have been doing some bible study on the subject myself and am very grateful for others who had dug deeply or drunk deeply of the word of God.
ReplyDeleteI think there are some words that we say so often that they start to lose meaning and significance. I love to spend some time seeking out the great depth of the word of God.
Deep calling unto deep if you will. It always blesses me.
I find it interesting and very significant that the word for thanks in greek is the word for grace. Charis...and grace is defined as...
1) grace
a) that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech
2) good will, loving-kindness, favour
a) of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues
3) what is due to grace
a) the spiritual condition of one governed by the power of divine grace
b) the token or proof of grace, benefit
1) a gift of grace
2) benefit, bounty
4) thanks, (for benefits, services, favours), recompense, reward
and the root of this word is chairo-
which means ...
1) to rejoice, be glad
2) to rejoice exceedingly,
3) to be well, thrive
4) in salutations, hail!
5) at the beginning of letters: to give one greeting, salute
So in other words when I say thank you...
I am also saying ...grace be to you...exceeding joy and rejoicing....that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness,good will, loving-kindness,favour, merciful kindness, God's staying power to help us do what is right in His sight be to you!
What an amazing blessing!
I know that grace is a powerful and weighty word but it is nice to know more about the depth and height and width of God's love for us in giving us His grace. Like noticing the beautiful facets of a well cut gemstone.
So often the original greek words for important things include joy and rejoicing. We seem to spend so much time focusing on enduring the cross that we gloss over the Joy that was set before Him that He might be able to endure the cross.
Mother Theresa was pretty clear on that too.
May you always continue to be amazed and blessed and filled to overflowing with joy!
Jennifer Mutty Ireland