Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart

"Gratitude is the attitude that sets the altitude for living" James McDonald. Today is my birthday and Thanks Giving is just a few days away. So I have been reflecting on all that I am grateful for. Thankfulness is the attitude that perfectly displaces my sinful tendency to complain and thereby release joy and blessing into my life. When I complain on the other hand, I am telling God that I don't like my circumstances. And ultimately I am telling God that I don't think He's doing a good job directing my life. God wants us to trust Him in every situation. Paul said, "I have learned to be content in every circumstance." He also said that "godliness with contentment is great gain." Sometimes we are short sighted and don't see God at work in every trial. Think about Joseph in the Old Testament. He had a dream that he would one day rule over his brothers and his parents. God had a plan to bless him. His brothers were offended by this and betrayed him by selling him into slavery. Joseph was eventually framed for an assault that he didn't commit and imprisoned. Joseph had all the reason to complain, but the bible never mentions Joseph once having a negative attitude. Had Joseph been short sighted and believed that life wasn't fair and that God had somehow messed up, he would have become a complainer and missed out on the blessing God had in store for him. But Joseph kept a good attitude and trusted God by testifying of the goodness and faithfulness of God, even from the shackles of a dungeon. Therefore in time, God blessed him and fulfilled His promise to Joseph.

The book of James tells us to "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

In other words, keep a good attitude, even when things are uncomfortable. You don't know what God might be getting you ready for.

Here are a few more scriptures to consider as we think of how God wants us to respond to life with ThanksGiving.

• "continually offer up the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name" Heb. 13:15
• "In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" 1 Thes. 5:18
• "Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord . . . for His wonderful works to the children of men!" Psalm 107:8,15,21,31

Be Blessed

Bro. Mike