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Saturday, November 1, 2014

Give Thanks

I saw someone post on Facebook that today was November 1st so it starts the “Thankful Month”. During the month of November a lot of people try to share something they are thankful for every day. I have been reading things lately that have encouraged me to be conscious of things that God has given me and give thanks for them. According to Biblegateway.com there are 52 places where the phrase “give thanks” is used (NKJV). The first reference listed is I Thessalonians 5:18.....IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS...
It doesn't say to give thanks when we want to or only when things are going good for us. It says to give thanks IN EVERYTHING. In every situation we should give thanks. Just as when we say wedding vows we say “in good times and bad, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer...” we should give thanks in good times and bad, whether we're sick or healthy, and whether we're rich or poor.
The verse doesn't stop there either. It doesn't just tell us what we are supposed to do. It also tells us why we are to do it...FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS FOR YOU. We are not to give thanks just because it's something someone says we should do or because Thanksgiving is coming up...we are to give thanks because it is a command. We are commanded to give thanks in everything we are doing and in any situation we are in.
Now, I know this is easier said than done. You are talking to the pro of only giving thanks when it is convenient or when things are going good. Why should I give thanks when the kids are disobeying, being crabby or are sick? Why should I give thanks when my husband isn't helping me in the way I think he should or isn't home when I think he should be? Why should I give thanks when I don't feel like it, when I'm having a bad day, or I don't feel good? Why? Because God said I need to!
Some of you may be sick right now or have a loved one going through a sickness and you are wondering when it is going to get better. Some of you may be in the “poorer” state right now and you may be wondering where the money is going to come from to pay the bills this month. Some you may be just be having some bad days and you're wondering how to make them better. GIVE THANKS! Give thanks to God for the things you have, for the time you have been on this earth, for the housing and clothes and food you have. No matter how hard things seem I think we can all find at least one thing to be thankful for each day. And not just during November, the “Thankful Month”, but all year long.  

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