We can find plenty of gratitude devotionals that tell us we are to be thankful for what God has given us. As believers, we know that everything we have comes from God. On a ‘good’ day I thank God for my food, my job, my family, my health and more
But what does thankfulness look like on a ‘bad’ day? When I’m that person who has recently experienced a loss, have a family member with a terminal illness or recently lost my job? How can I give thanks?
What is thanks?
[thanks] a grateful feeling or acknowledgement of a benefit, favor (something granted out of goodwill), expressed by words or otherwise.
To paraphrase “giving thanks is recognizing an unexpected and unselfish gift given to us and then showing appreciation for that gift”
The most unselfish gift I can think of is the love gift Christ gave me. “but God showed His love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. “ Romans 5:8, or to paraphrase “while I was a defiant and hurtful to others and God, Christ absorbed all my sin. He sacrificed Himself in love by dying a painful death to wash away my sins so I didn’t have to. He gave to me the gift of a pain-free, joyous eternal life in Heaven” As an added benefit He will never leave me or forsake me on this side of Heaven.
I know that my God, who was willing to die for me, loves me more than I can imagine. That even when this horrific world we live in, dishes out the worst, we still have a God who loves us.
The best way I can describe thankfulness on a ‘bad’ day is that saying thanks comes out of knowing that God loves me. My thankfulness comes out of recognizing He gave me an unexpected and unselfish gift. I want to thank Him for it.
For me, the lyrics of this song best describe what this thankfulness looks like. Yes I Will
I count on one thing, the same God that never fails, will not fail me now, You won’t fail me now. In the waiting, the same God who’s never late is working all things out, You’re working all things out.
Yes, I will, lift You high in the lowest valley. Yes, I will bless Your Name. Oh, yes I will sing for joy when my heart is heavy. All my days, oh yes I will.
-Yes I Will. by Vertical Worship
This Thanksgiving I wish you love and am thankful for the gift of you!
Deb
