Object of our Thanksgiving
I wanted to expand a little on the attitude of thanksgiving that God desires us to have and share with you some thoughts from a devotional I was reading this morning.
"There are two types of gratitude: one secondary, the other primary. The secondary kind is thankfulness for blessings received--those things that first come to mind around the Thanksgiving table: life, health, home, family, freedom, friends, food......The other kind of appreciation is "gracious gratitude"---thankfulness not for what God gives, but for who God is. It's all about Him and our exulting in His goodness, love, power, and grace, regardless of any favors received."
It is good to place our thoughts on the Giver rather than the gift, to recognize that God is the supplier of all our needs, and even more than our needs. He is the giver of every good and perfect gift. All our blessings come from Him. And it is good that we recognize that what we enjoy daily comes from His grace and goodness toward us.
I challenge you this month of November to focus your thanksgiving to the Giver. In whatever circumstances you find yourself at this particular time in your life, whether difficult or easy, honestly turn your heart to God and say "thank you." It's all about attitude. Tangible gifts come and go, never fully satisfying us, but God and His goodness, love, power, and grace never fail us. He is always ready and willing to bless us with His presence and all the fruits of the Spirit that He offers through Himself--peace, joy, love, kindness, patience, goodness, longsuffering. God truly finds pleasure from our attitude of thanksgiving for HIM, and He delights in our recognition of WHO He is, that we KNOW Him, and love Him, not for what He gives us, but that we love and worship Him as Lord.
Have you ever tried to voice thanksgiving and complaining at the same time? You can't do it. When we are truly thankful in our circumstances, we cannot grumble about them. "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Colossians 3:15
Be thankful and don't grumble!
Sandy
"There are two types of gratitude: one secondary, the other primary. The secondary kind is thankfulness for blessings received--those things that first come to mind around the Thanksgiving table: life, health, home, family, freedom, friends, food......The other kind of appreciation is "gracious gratitude"---thankfulness not for what God gives, but for who God is. It's all about Him and our exulting in His goodness, love, power, and grace, regardless of any favors received."
It is good to place our thoughts on the Giver rather than the gift, to recognize that God is the supplier of all our needs, and even more than our needs. He is the giver of every good and perfect gift. All our blessings come from Him. And it is good that we recognize that what we enjoy daily comes from His grace and goodness toward us.
I challenge you this month of November to focus your thanksgiving to the Giver. In whatever circumstances you find yourself at this particular time in your life, whether difficult or easy, honestly turn your heart to God and say "thank you." It's all about attitude. Tangible gifts come and go, never fully satisfying us, but God and His goodness, love, power, and grace never fail us. He is always ready and willing to bless us with His presence and all the fruits of the Spirit that He offers through Himself--peace, joy, love, kindness, patience, goodness, longsuffering. God truly finds pleasure from our attitude of thanksgiving for HIM, and He delights in our recognition of WHO He is, that we KNOW Him, and love Him, not for what He gives us, but that we love and worship Him as Lord.
Have you ever tried to voice thanksgiving and complaining at the same time? You can't do it. When we are truly thankful in our circumstances, we cannot grumble about them. "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Colossians 3:15
Be thankful and don't grumble!
Sandy
posted by Sandy Fewell at 8:49 AM
2 Comments:
I thank God for His grace which He so wonderfully lavished upon me - as wretched and undeserving as I am. It is by His grace and His grace alone that I am here in Japan, supporting my husband and family, and serving and being served in an awesome church family. To God be the glory!
Hey, Barb--Isn't God awesome! I praise God that through you and Mark others will hear how awesome God is. Keep up your wonderful work there---God will delight in continually blessing you. Sandy
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