When I was little, I remember my dad giving me something or do something for me that I was soo happy about. And I asked him how I could thank him. My father said something that has stuck with me to this day. He said "Just being happy shows it". I always relate that to thanking my father in heaven. Having a thankful heart is having a joyful heart about what God has done for you. There is no way in this world that if I had all of the money and all of the resources that I could EVER repay Jesus for what He has done for me. There is no thank you card, or song I could sing that could even the account. But I think about the attitude of my heart and "being a living sacrifice" (Romans 1) and living a life of gratitude as something I could do to say THANKYOU, JESUS!. Gratitude to God is a cure for a bad attitude, depression, discontent.
I was thinking about this subject this weekend when I spent the day painting, rearranging, washing and re-decorating my girls' rooms. They were so happy, so excited to get in there and start enjoying their room. They loved the colors and their new fluffy soft comforters from Grandma. My oldest kept telling me that she liked the color and my second was just bouncing off the walls with joy! They showed me thanks by being happy and enjoying what I had done for them. That in turn made me feel elated just to see the joy in their faces.
Yesterday, on Pastor Appreciation Day, the Pastor who stood in to preach spoke about Luke 17:11 where the 10 lepers whom Jesus healed from afar. He told them to go show themselves to the priest. They had to do this in faith without immediately being healed. One of the lepers who was a Samaritan upon noticing that he was healed stopped and turned back to bow down to the Master's feet and thank Jesus. 17 Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.[c]” A commentary states that the focus was on the response to the healing of Jesus more than the healing itself. This man was able to experience the joy of the healing and blessing of Jesus because of his thanksgiving.
You may or may not be wondering where this is all coming from but can I PLEASE share with you something? I have struggled in my life with depression and found that on a day filled with clouds and hopelessness, sunshine can break through when I take time to praise God and thank God for all He has done. Come on, I know you can find something to thank Him for. You had some food today? Did you get up? Did you have an education of some sort? Do you have a roof over your head? Do you have opportunity and freedom in your life? He is so gracious, for even in us thanking Him, He blesses us again. Notice that when the lepers asked to be healed they were afar but after the one that returned was able to be closest to Jesus. I know I want to experience a closer walk with Him. How about you? Take the time to thank Him and see what happens.
(I almost forgot! My exciting thing I did last week was attend a call out for a very reputable talent agency. I did not want to say anything until I knew if they were interested in representing me. It turns out I got a call on Friday that they were interested! So my next steps is to get pictures done for my comp card! I thank God for this opportunity!)
Thanks for reading!
Post a comment of thanksgiving for something God has done for you!
Have a blessed rest of the day!
