Believers have the amazing privilege of praying to their heavenly Father. But it may come as a surprise to some that bringing requests to God is just one aspect of our communication with Him. Another important part of prayer - which, sadly, is often overlooked - is thanksgiving (Phil. 4:6).
In fact, the Father wants His children's lives to be characterized by gratefulness. His Word tells us that an appreciative attitude should be evident in our worship (Ps. 95:2-7; Col. 3:16), giving (2 Cor. 9:12), relationships (Phil. 1:1-3), and even the way we approach spiritual battles (1 Cor. 15:55-57). In other words, thankfulness to the Lord should permeate everything we do (Rom. 14:6).
In the Scriptures, the Lord mandates our gratitude (1 Thes. 5:18), which some people find perplexing. But He knows how a grateful attitude affects our hearts. Thanking Him...
- Keeps us aware of His presence.
- Focuses us on Jesus Christ; pride dimishes when we remember life is about Him.
- Drives us to look for His purpose in our challenging situations.
- Reminds us of His goodness, which leads to hope and submission to His will, even when we don't understand the reason for our pain.
- Encourages continued dependence on Him.
- Replaces anxiety with peace and joy.
When we maintain an attitude of thanksgiving in both happy and difficult seasons, our lives will feel purposeful and fulfilling. But more importantly, God will be glorified. Ask Him to bring blessings to mind so you can say "Thank You."
Dr. Charles Stanley (In Touch)
No comments:
Post a Comment