A Season of Thanks
By Kara Lee
Halloween is over and November has arrived. Tis the season to be on a dead run through the preparations and events that fill our lives as we ready ourselves for and then survive the holiday season! I don’t know about you, but I have often arrived on the other side of Christmas only to look back and realize that in all of the busyness, I missed the season. I missed having a mindset of thanks and a heart of gratitude for all I have been blessed with and for the ultimate gift of Jesus.
As I work with our international families at CarePoint, I am often struck with how thankful and grateful they are for even the small blessings in their lives. These are families that have fled persecution, lived through war, lost everything, and often left family and friends far behind. Yet when it’s time to pray, the first thing they mention is how thankful they are for God’s blessings.
I must admit that though I have lived a life of relative comfort and peace, surrounded by family and friends, gratitude is not always the first thing that comes to mind when I pray. I am determined to do better.
When we give thanks, we are able to glorify God as we focus on His goodness. The Bible gives us countless examples of the essential role thankfulness plays in the Christian life and our relationship with the Lord.
Here are just a few of the verses from scripture that remind us to give thanks: Psalms 95:2 – Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving… Psalms 100:4 – Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Psalms 136:1 – Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
As we begin this holiday season, I hope you will join me in spending time each day reflecting on God’s blessings and telling our Lord how truly thankful we are. Then, let’s not be limited by a season, but rather make giving thanks our daily practice all year long.
Halloween is over and November has arrived. Tis the season to be on a dead run through the preparations and events that fill our lives as we ready ourselves for and then survive the holiday season! I don’t know about you, but I have often arrived on the other side of Christmas only to look back and realize that in all of the busyness, I missed the season. I missed having a mindset of thanks and a heart of gratitude for all I have been blessed with and for the ultimate gift of Jesus.
As I work with our international families at CarePoint, I am often struck with how thankful and grateful they are for even the small blessings in their lives. These are families that have fled persecution, lived through war, lost everything, and often left family and friends far behind. Yet when it’s time to pray, the first thing they mention is how thankful they are for God’s blessings.
I must admit that though I have lived a life of relative comfort and peace, surrounded by family and friends, gratitude is not always the first thing that comes to mind when I pray. I am determined to do better.
When we give thanks, we are able to glorify God as we focus on His goodness. The Bible gives us countless examples of the essential role thankfulness plays in the Christian life and our relationship with the Lord.
Here are just a few of the verses from scripture that remind us to give thanks: Psalms 95:2 – Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving… Psalms 100:4 – Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Psalms 136:1 – Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
As we begin this holiday season, I hope you will join me in spending time each day reflecting on God’s blessings and telling our Lord how truly thankful we are. Then, let’s not be limited by a season, but rather make giving thanks our daily practice all year long.
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