Week 68: Thankfulness - "Try Thanksgiving"

“I thank God for my handicaps, for, through them,
I have found myself, my work, and my God” (Helen Keller)

Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that thankfulness is indeed a virtue.
(William Bennett)

I’m thankful…

It was told that one day on the streets of London Charles Spurgeon was robbed. When he arrived home and told his tale, he said,

“Well, thank the Lord anyway.”

His wife countered, “Thank the lord that somebody stole your money?”

“No, my dear,” answered her husband. Then he began to enumerate some reasons why he was thankful.

“First, I’m thankful the robber just took my money, not my life. Secondly, I’m thankful I had left most of our money at home and he didn’t really rob me of much. Thirdly, I’m thankful to God that I was not the robber.”

What a respond! Today, what are you thankful for?

Be thankful…

In Merriam –Webster dictionary, the word ‘thankful’ (noun ‘thankfulness’) means ‘conscious of benefit received’, ‘expressive of thanks’, ‘well-please’ or glad. It is a “positive emotion or attitude in acknowledgement of a benefit that one has received or will receive”. Thankfulness changes the way you look at your circumstances. Thankfulness make you realize that your circumstances, no matter how bad it were (I’m not trying to minimize your experience, God knows what you have been through), is part of God’s plan. You don’t have to understand, nor can we understand if we want to either; just trust Him and take hold of His promises. In every circumstance there is a purpose – so always be thankful in every situations.

Try to give thanks…

I love this story: A missionary in China was living a defeated life. Everything seemed to be touched with sadness, and although he prayed for months for victory over depression and discouragement, his condition remained the same. He finally determined to leave his work and go to an interior station where he could pray and seek victory over his morbid state. When he reached the new place, he was entertained in the home of a fellow missionary. The first thing he saw on the wall was a motto which read,

“Try thanksgiving!”

The words gripped his heart and he thought within himself,

“Have I been praying all this time and not praising?”

He stopped and began to gives thanks, and immediately his heart was uplifted. Perhaps, as you read this article, you are depressed, discourage and feel defeated; maybe it’s time for you to:

Count your blessings instead of difficulties,

Count your gain instead of your losses,

Count your joys instead of woes,

Count your friends instead of foes,

Count your courage instead of fears,

Count your health instead of wealth,

Count on God instead of yourself!

…and try this: “Try thanksgiving!”

Last words...

Enjoy whatever blessings come your way. Enjoy what you have. Enjoy others who are close to you. Enjoy nature. Yes, enjoy whatever blessings come your way; small or large, like or dislike, petty or extravagance – be thankful. Develop the attitude of thankfulness. An attitude of thankfulness not only brings blessings to your life, but it also blesses others. A thankful lifestyle is one of the best sermon you'll ever preach - so in every circumstances, count your blessings: In every situations, count on God!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

 You may also want to read (click title): 

Turn Calamity into Blessing 

Be Thankful for the Problems on your Job
Week 31: Gratitude - "If I were a Butterfly"
Week 4: Thank you - For What You've Done