Thankful // Full of Thanks
Everything
Give thanks for everything.
Jesus tells us in Scripture to give thanks in all circumstances. This means we are called to give thanks for EVERYTHING.
I am going to offend you. Right now. Right here. As soon as you read on. The following words will offend you.
Yes. We give thanks when we pass a test.
Yes. We give thanks when we find $5 in our pocket.
Yes. We give thanks when someone gives us free food.
Yes. We give thanks when our teacher annoys us.
Yes. We give thanks when our co-worker tells a lie about us to our manager.
Yes. We give thanks when we break our leg.
Yes. We give thanks when our parents never understand us or let us be ourselves.
Yes. We give thanks when we get dumped.
Yes. We give thanks when someone we love is sick.
Yes. We give thanks when someone we know passes away.
Why would He ask us to give thanks for things that do not make sense?
Is He in touch with reality?
How in the world can He ask us to give thanks?
What does giving thanks do?
DIVORCE
At age 4 my dad walked out on my mom, my sister and me. 24 years later, I am only NOW stepping into true freedom from abandonment issues, trust issues, love for my dad, forgiveness for my dad, apathy, self-hate. God used the Divorce to shape me into who I am today. I can now relate to kids and families that struggle with parents that have left. I can now help students and adults who have similar stories. At 4 I was not thankful for the Divorce. I hated it. At at 28, I can truly say I am thankful for it. It messed me up, but I would have never had the family I have now. I would have never been the person that I am now. I have more family then I can count. I understand God as Father in a way that I would have never had a chance to had I not gone through abandonment with my own dad. I want you to learn to give thanks faster than me. Your life will be healthier if you learn the art of GIVING thanks.
GIVING Thanks.
Gifts are something you decide to give to others. It is a conscious choice. A gift is something that actually COSTS you something. If it is a gift you purchased, it has cost you money. If it is a homemade gift, it cost you time. Either way, thanksgiving is not something that is always easy, and it may cost you something. For me it cost me letting go of a grudge I had against my dad. What he did was wrong. What he did was cowardly. What he did messed me up. However, giving thanks for the Divorce allowed me to get closer to God and to let go of my grudge towards my dad.
PURPOSE
The purpose of Giving thanks is not so that we deny reality, or deny how we feel about the given situation. The purpose of giving thanks is that it takes our focus off of our problem, and redirects our focus to God. When we give thanks it allows us to remember God who is the source of everlasting love and never ending peace. When we thank God, it says in Scripture that we enter into His presence. What does that mean, I thought God was everywhere? Yes, God is everywhere, but when we start GIVING HIM THANKS we remember that He is right there. We remember that He has never left us. We remember that He will get us through it. Giving thanks is not for GOD, it is for US. God doesn't needs us. He is complete and whole without us. We need HIM.
BIBLE
Philippians 4:6-7 Peace
Psalm 95:2-3 He is great, and he is the King of Kings
1 Chronicles 16:34 He has love that will last FOREVER
Psalm 100:4 When we give thanks we enter into God's presence
QUESTIONS
1. When you are met with disappointment, how do you cope?
2. When you are met with something that makes you angry, what do you do?
3. How can we as Christians be better examples of love and peace in the world?
4. How can you give thanks in your normal life?
5. What is something you feel you are not able to give thanks for right now?
6. Prayer Requests.
Give thanks for everything.
Jesus tells us in Scripture to give thanks in all circumstances. This means we are called to give thanks for EVERYTHING.
I am going to offend you. Right now. Right here. As soon as you read on. The following words will offend you.
Yes. We give thanks when we pass a test.
Yes. We give thanks when we find $5 in our pocket.
Yes. We give thanks when someone gives us free food.
Yes. We give thanks when our teacher annoys us.
Yes. We give thanks when our co-worker tells a lie about us to our manager.
Yes. We give thanks when we break our leg.
Yes. We give thanks when our parents never understand us or let us be ourselves.
Yes. We give thanks when we get dumped.
Yes. We give thanks when someone we love is sick.
Yes. We give thanks when someone we know passes away.
Why would He ask us to give thanks for things that do not make sense?
Is He in touch with reality?
How in the world can He ask us to give thanks?
What does giving thanks do?
DIVORCE
At age 4 my dad walked out on my mom, my sister and me. 24 years later, I am only NOW stepping into true freedom from abandonment issues, trust issues, love for my dad, forgiveness for my dad, apathy, self-hate. God used the Divorce to shape me into who I am today. I can now relate to kids and families that struggle with parents that have left. I can now help students and adults who have similar stories. At 4 I was not thankful for the Divorce. I hated it. At at 28, I can truly say I am thankful for it. It messed me up, but I would have never had the family I have now. I would have never been the person that I am now. I have more family then I can count. I understand God as Father in a way that I would have never had a chance to had I not gone through abandonment with my own dad. I want you to learn to give thanks faster than me. Your life will be healthier if you learn the art of GIVING thanks.
GIVING Thanks.
Gifts are something you decide to give to others. It is a conscious choice. A gift is something that actually COSTS you something. If it is a gift you purchased, it has cost you money. If it is a homemade gift, it cost you time. Either way, thanksgiving is not something that is always easy, and it may cost you something. For me it cost me letting go of a grudge I had against my dad. What he did was wrong. What he did was cowardly. What he did messed me up. However, giving thanks for the Divorce allowed me to get closer to God and to let go of my grudge towards my dad.
PURPOSE
The purpose of Giving thanks is not so that we deny reality, or deny how we feel about the given situation. The purpose of giving thanks is that it takes our focus off of our problem, and redirects our focus to God. When we give thanks it allows us to remember God who is the source of everlasting love and never ending peace. When we thank God, it says in Scripture that we enter into His presence. What does that mean, I thought God was everywhere? Yes, God is everywhere, but when we start GIVING HIM THANKS we remember that He is right there. We remember that He has never left us. We remember that He will get us through it. Giving thanks is not for GOD, it is for US. God doesn't needs us. He is complete and whole without us. We need HIM.
BIBLE
Philippians 4:6-7 Peace
Psalm 95:2-3 He is great, and he is the King of Kings
1 Chronicles 16:34 He has love that will last FOREVER
Psalm 100:4 When we give thanks we enter into God's presence
QUESTIONS
1. When you are met with disappointment, how do you cope?
2. When you are met with something that makes you angry, what do you do?
3. How can we as Christians be better examples of love and peace in the world?
4. How can you give thanks in your normal life?
5. What is something you feel you are not able to give thanks for right now?
6. Prayer Requests.
Comments
Post a Comment