Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His love endures forever Psalm 136:1
As we approach the thanksgiving holiday I hope your heart has been inclined to give thanks in all things! Gratitude has been and continues to be a mighty force in my journey. Last week I had a profound experience with giving thanks and was reminded what cultivates thankfulness in my heart.
Last Monday I faced a slightly challenging situation.The toll of the last 15 months has instilled in me a false sense of I can’t do it when anything arises. Even small challenges seem to stir a physical urge to push out my hand and say, nope. Can’t deal with that!
In those moments I need to pause and orient myself to the what I’m presently facing because physically I’m prone to feel everything all at once not just the one thing I need to tackle.
On Monday as I sat in my office with about 30 minutes until my next work call, instead of focusing on the challenge (for which I had no ideas for solution), I decided to take a few moments to give God thanks. I said a brief prayer of gratitude and asked that my eyes be open to all the gifts around me. In less than a half hour my list had more than 50 incredible gifts for which I said THANK YOU!
When I stopped writing and surveyed the good gifts in my life that were easily recognized in a short time, I realized I didn’t need to have a solution to my current challenge. In that moment, I wasn’t concerned with anything on my plate. Instead I felt a sweet awareness of God's goodness in my day. Many of the gifts on my list were received in a season of challenge. God had plans even when I was walking what felt like a hopeless path.That exercise of writing out gratitudes reminded me of the goodness of God that I have known in a very new way in the past 15 months.
I’m convinced now more than ever that no matter what path we are trekking, God’s goodness and love abound. He is not lacking or withholding love in hard times.
As I’ve embarked on the hardest season of my life, I can say with certainty I’ve experienced MORE of God’s goodness and lavish love than ever before. In fact, today I’m blown away by His love!
Chronicles 16:34 echoes with "give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever." In the Psalms, we see Thanksgiving as a way to thank God for His active, never-changing, never-ending love.
Embracing God’s love is easy way to cultivate thankfulness. Knowing that God is Love and He loves us stirs tremendous gratitude.
His love is faithful. His love will never change, and it will never run out. His love is active. When we start with an awareness and acceptance of God's love, we are in a place to give thanks. Our identity stems from God’s unconditional love. You’ve probably heard the saying, there is nothing I can do to make God love me more. And there is nothing I can do to make Him love me less. That is the absolute, unchangeable truth, a capstone for giving thanks in all things.
Repeated through the Psalms is offering thanksgiving to the Lord because His love endures forever. Forever is that truth about God's love that it never changes and that it never ends. From that reality of being loved, we can give thanks. Thanksgiving reminds us that God is loving and that He is good. If I know that the Creator of the universe loves me, and I know that love for me can never run out, I can always say thank you. Saying thank you acknowledges God's love for me and affirms His goodness.
As we approach the Thanksgiving Day, I hope you will take some time to say thanks and take some time to write out some gratitude to Almighty God for His goodness and love. Gratitude is a mighty force. It shifts our perspective. Somehow it brings change. It can transform our soul. It can transform seemingly every area of our life. Thankfulness provides powerful reminders of Yahweh's goodness. Without thanksgiving, we can miss so much that we wouldn't recognize if we did not have a grateful heart.
God's love for his people is at the heart of gratitude. Today I hope you know how much you are by your Mighty Creator. Giving thanks in all things acknowledges that He is loving and that He is good.
How have you experienced God’s goodness lately? How would you describe God’s love?
Will you share in the comments? And if you are feeling inclined for your own profound experience with gratitude today, I encourage you to take a few moments to write out your appreciation for God’s goodness and love in your life. My prayer for you is that your eyes will be open to many good gifts!
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