A CONSTANT ATTITUDE OF THANKSGIVING

A CONSTANT ATTITUDE OF THANKSGIVING

November is the one month out of our year that we most focus on giving thanks. While thanks-giving should be a vital part of every day of the year, many folks only consider it important on the day designated as a day to give thanks.

“For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” (2 Corinthians 4:17 NLT)

As Christians, we must realize that God is in control of all circumstances that surround our lives, both good and bad. It is easy to thank Him for the good times. But, when the bad time comes along, how thankful are we?

When difficult times come, we most often will not see it for what it is. However, difficult times often prepare us for a blessing we are about to experience. That is why we need to give thanks for the hard times as well, and as quickly, as we do for the good times.

Hear what Paul tells the church at Corinth in 2 Corinthians 4:17–18: For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is for your eternal benefit.” (NIV)

God is far wiser than we are. And if He tells us to not do something, He does so for good reason. The apostle Paul also wrote, “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love” (Romans 8:38 NLT). God loves you, and He is always looking out for you. Now, the devil doesn’t want you to believe that. He would whisper in your ear, “God hates you. God wants to ruin your life. All those rules in the Bible are just there to make life miserable. You Christians serve an oppressive God who doesn’t want you to have any fun.”

The so-called great life this world offered by Satan is anything but rewarding or beneficial. Instead, it is a life leading to destruction and eventually eternal death. There really is nothing in that life for which anyone should be thankful. In fact, we should flee with winged feet to escape that life.

On the other hand, we find that a life with Christ produces a life of fulfillment and purpose. In that life there is much to be thankful for every day of life.

So, yes, let us be mindful that on the fourth Thursday in November we set aside time to be thankful for all the blessings of the past year. But, let us also not forget to thank God for the times of difficulty , understanding that these are times of testing, which can become times of grateful thanks when we acknowledge that God is working in those times as well.

We must realize that God loves us and is always looking out for our eternal benefit, even if what we are presently going through is difficult seems impossible to overcome.

Gary K. Fair

03 November 2020