Thanks a lot

Thanksgiving can be a joyous holiday.  A day to catch up with family and friends; nieces and nephews; aunts and uncles and everyone in-between.   A day to reflect on recent events in your life.  While chowing down on some turkey and stuffing with a side of pie.  But for many unspoken holi-dayers its the setup to a miserable stressful ending reminder of past troubles and pitfalls.   You got Thanksgiving (friends+family).  Then you got Christmas (also friends+family).  And last but certainly not a least damaging reminder is New Years Eve/Day.  All three of these holidays are setup reminders for how did your year go.  I'm not gonna put up statistics and numbers because that's just depressing even more.  But what I do want to point out is a couple things.  In Philippians 2 verses 3-5 it states do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit.  To count others above ourselves.  To look to the interests not of ourselves only, for this mind be in you which is also in Christ Jesus.  There are a lot of secret woes people have gone through and some continuing to go through.  Let us try and be sensitive to that hurt around us.  People are broken, alone, and even scared.  Hope may be just around the corner but right now there are three holiday reminders that are pressing on their hearts and minds. Not everyone knows how to give thanks even in their troubles.  We do the gospel a service by keeping that in mind.

To the hurting and in pain...The bible says to be thankful in all circumstances for this is the will of God. That's a hard pill to swallow if you put this scripture in line with thinking "so I should be thankful this mess that happened to me?"  The will of God is for you to be thankful not to have to go through pain and suffering.  One day our lord will return for us and wipe away every tear that falls.  But till that day we must learn how to give thanks even while going through.  Once you accept and believe in Christ Jesus you go from a victim to a Victor.  The only way I know to be thankful in everything is to follow the following scriptures in Philippians 4:8,9 where it says....whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just' whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, and whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue if there be any praise (thanks) think on these things. What you have seen me practice, follow and the God of peace will be with you.

 In every situation there is at least one of these things.  Find that thing, and in that thing give thanks for it.  Somewhere in your situation lies something worth giving God praise about.  There are many things that cause me not to want to be thankful.  But when that happens the spirit reminds me of this Scripture and it is in this scripture that I find the strength to stop bitterness and depression dead in its tracks before it takes root in my heart.  Once you begin this journey of thankfulness you begin to be encouraged and you realize all is not lost. And the fact that I have something to give thanks about is proof God was still with me in it.  God will never leave you orphan to life's woes.  So when Satan tries to guilt you or depress you, open your bible to Philippians 4:8 and 1st thessalonians 5:18 and be encouraged, of good cheer and give thanks. -be blessed and a blessing