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Written by Kat Bittner, volunteer and Board member for Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Colorado
Genuine Christianity is best lived out by the gratitude we display!
I find gratitude to be a lost art. Today’s culture and society have become so consumed with the castigation of the past that an appreciation for the good things is waffling. We’ve become more mindful of the troublesome parts of life. Our focus often drifts toward the imminent burdens we bear in our body (physical) or mind (emotional) when we ought to be focused more on the divine (spiritual) matters for which we should be abundantly grateful. We who are in Christ have been gifted by God through the Holy Spirit to withstand a whole lot of affliction and come out the other side intact.
It behooves us then to be appreciative, knowing that we are perfected by God (James 1:2-3). It does our body and mind better to be preoccupied with Godly things instead of the contrary things of life. I don’t know one believer who has been tormented by thinking on divine and holy things. But I’ve known plenty, myself included, who have been overwhelmed with suffering by fixating on worldly matters. These matters are temporary items for we who are temporary occupants in this world. And abiding in the temporary demonstrates ingratitude for the eternal.
“Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.” (1 Pet. 2:11, NLT)
If we are to be of any influence on unbelievers or if we are to be true ambassadors for Christ, we must be grateful for what He has done (Eph 1:7). We must be grateful for who He is (1 John 4:14). We must be grateful for how He works (Heb 13:21). And we should be audibly demonstrating our gratitude.
“Then I will thank you in front of the great assembly. I will praise you before all the people.” (Ps 35:18)
The message of hope and God’s love can be spread to the unbelieving by our own gratitude for Jesus. What better way for the world to know Him than by our own proclamation of thanks?
“Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim His greatness. Let the whole world know what He has done.” (Ps. 105:1)
For gratitude to truly emerge in the world, we must emulate gratitude. We need to be “doers of the word” (James 1:22) and reveal Jesus to the world (Heb. 1:3). If we can convey to the world the hope of Jesus, the world is more likely to live in the good rather than reside in the bad.
“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.” (Titus 2:11-12, NIV)
God has blessed us beyond measure. Beyond what we merit. That in and of itself is enough for which we should be thankful. How will your gratitude be visible and thereby testify of Jesus?
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Written by Jocelynn Goff, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas
Have you ever felt like you were living under a dark cloud? Or maybe it was so dark you actually felt as if you were not just under it but even in the middle of it.
A few years ago, I was emotionally walking with a friend through an extremely difficult and tragic part of her life. Since she wanted to be confidential, I was the only one she was sharing with. She had me, but I had no one else to share this with. I felt a tremendous weight with this responsibility—a responsibility I fully accepted to help my friend but a heavy weight none the less. In other words, I felt both under and in a dark cloud. This weight felt hard to overcome in my day-to-day responsibilities. I found myself sinking into a state of depression. I knew I had a ready listening Heavenly Father, so I was definitely praying. However, no lifting of the dark cloud. In addition, I was fasting and praying. And yet, no lifting of the dark cloud. I began singing especially on my walks around the neighborhood. Still no dark cloud lifting. I cried out, “God what am I missing?” I felt a still small voice say, “thanksgiving.”
OH, yes, Father this is a missing element in my prayer and petition to you. As you remind me.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Phil. 4:6)
So, I pulled out my Thankful Journal and began reminding myself of the too-numerous-to-count times of thanksgiving blessings God had given me. As I read each blessing out loud, I felt the dark cloud slowly begin to lift. Hope began permeating my mind, spirit, body, and soul. Thank You, God! And now I had another entry for my Thankful Journal! God had already supplied me with the answer, “Present my requests to Him with thanksgiving.”
My Thankful Journal was the result of another friend’s recommendation of Ann Voskamp’s book, One Thousand Gifts. The author invites the reader to live the concept of “Eucharisteo always precedes the miracle,” and encourages a Thankful Journal.
I was challenged to start my own Thankful Journal and began with the goal of 1,000 gift entries. I am now at 6,851 Thankful Journal entries. It’s nearly impossible to keep up with writing down all of God’s blessings. Still, it is pure delight to be reminded and record God’s gifts in my life. When I am feeling the weight of life on many different levels, I am prompted much earlier in my dark cloud moments to choose thankfulness. I am also reminded in His Word:
“give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thes. 5:18)
“let us be thankful and so worship God” (Heb. 12:28b)
I encourage you to choose thankfulness as a significant part of your everyday walk and especially for those dark cloud moments. I also encourage you to read One Thousand Gifts and begin your own Thankful Journal.