Give Thanks
Colossians 3:17
17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
The word of God teaches us to be thankful. The verse above teaches that wherever we are, whatever we are doing that we serve God and give thanks to Him. You may not be where you want to be in life. You may not have accomplished all that you want to. You may not have the money, the relationship, the job, the family or a host of other things but you have reason to be thankful. Stop and begin to look into your life. You were able to get out of bed this morning. You have clothes to wear. You had a way to get to church. You have the freedom to gather with other believers and worship without fear of the government. You have a God in heaven who cares about everything in life. He took the time to number the hairs on your head. We follow a God who cares about the most mundane things in our life. Look around today, you are not alone. You have reason to give thanks. The apostle Paul wrote 4 letters from prison (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon). He was physically in a miserable place, but in three of the four letters he gave thanks for the people he wrote to and in Philemon he described him as a “beloved friend.” I realize that life can be difficult. I realize that we can go through some events that are unimaginable. I also, know that our lives are completely different because of Jesus Christ. Our relationship with Him enables us to persevere. Our relationship with Him enables us to be thankful. As I spend time with people I so often hear, 'I don’t know how people make it without Jesus in their lives.' This statement is a declaration of thanksgiving.
So, what are you thankful for?