Being Full Of Thanksgiving Everyday
let your requests be made known to God (Philippians 4:6 NKJV).
As an amazing amount of events, illnesses, and obligations swirled around me for the past few months, giving thanks was not high on my response list. I have to admit that I barely even paused long enough to acknowledge that I needed help, much less to make my needs known to God. When the staggering, life-consuming things piled on top of me, rarely did I even squeak out a faint "Help!" Instead I plowed through, juggling everything while trying to balance on the tightrope that has been my life recently.
On the outside each ball (task, responsibility, etc.) seemed to stay aloft, smoothly rotating around and around. The couple of things that did fall, I pretended not to notice. I even tried to believe that no one else noticed either.
My reward for the hectic, overworked days? Stress. Stress that led to a weakened immune system which cultivated the perfect environment for a mid-Autumn cold with flu-like symptoms. That put a stop to the juggling/balancing act.
After a week of fevers, chills, and coughs of my own and taking care of a four-year-old who also had a cold, I finally became aware of what my efforts to be superwoman had cost me.
Peace.
...and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7 NKJV).
I was not living my life in the shelter of God's protection. I forgot that His sufficiency would have pulled me through, along the paths He intended for me to walk. One blessing I have gained is the understanding that the tightrope I chose to walk is not the narrow way the Father planned for me.
For I am the Lord, I do not change; therefore you are not consumed (Malachi 3:6 NKJV).
The first step toward overcoming a stress-filled existence is to acknowledge my dependence on God and to submit to His leadership:
My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Psalm 73:26 NKJV).
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you (1 Peter 5:6-7 NKJV).
This week is set apart in our culture as a time to give thanks for the blessings we've received throughout the year. Because we tend to be people who overdue even the smallest celebrations, for most of us the stress of trying to pull off the perfect holiday get-together may overshadow the spirit of thankfulness in our hearts.
Take a few minutes each day this week to meditate on Psalms 95 and 100. It is impossible to be overcome with our own stresses if our hearts are full of praises to God, the faithful Lover of our souls.
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.For the Lord is the great God,
And the great King above all.
(Psalm 95:2-3 NKJV)
And while you're enjoying your feast on Thursday, make sure to lead your family to the throne of grace and give thanks to God for His abundant love and blessings...and sample His goodness:
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing (Psalm 34:8-10 NKJV).
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