Thanksgiving

Soon Thanksgiving will be upon us, and we will set aside a day where we gather together as families to remember the good things God has blessed us with throughout the year. And that is good! How much better, however, to have an attitude of thankfulness toward God and His blessings to us every day of the year, every moment that He chooses to bless us with the very air we breathe. Even in difficult circumstances when things of the world tend to drag us down, there are many things for which to be grateful. Many years ago I wrote this quote down in my Bible:

Matthew Henry, famous Bible scholar, was once accosted by thieves and robbed. In his diary he wrote:
"Let me be thankful first, because I was never robbed before. Second, because they took my purse and not my life,
Third, because although they took all, it was not much. Fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed."

Psalm 92:1 says, "It is good to give thanks to the Lord." I would like to challenge you for the whole month of November to focus your thoughts on the blessings that God is bestowing upon you every single day. Unless we train our thoughts to focus on the good that God allows in our lives daily, our thoughts too often focus on the negative aspects of our lives. Look around you. You may be surprised at the beauty that has been before your eyes every day, and you've failed to notice. Look at those people that have been a part of your life, whether it's your family, friends, or co-workers. Find a reason to thank God that they have been an integral part of your life for helping to form who you are as a person. There are so many ways for us to realize the blessings of God daily. God is "the giver of every good and perfect gift".

How about starting a journal writing down for the month of November the many blessings of God in your life? By Thanksgiving, I think your heart will be astounded at the goodness of God.

Praising God for His goodness,
Sandy