Like Nathan mentioned in his article on my previous post, God has also been revealing to me where I fall short in the area of thankfulness. I think my journey of trying to be deliberately more thankful actually began in May of this year. We were taking a vacation to Myrtle Beach, and things didn’t exactly go as planned. The funny part was that I was in the midst of a Bible study that focused on giving God honor through our gratefulness. I just didn’t plan to actually have to apply what I was learning! After traveling safely over 700 miles, we had a wreck 26 miles before arriving at our condo. A big wreck. The other car was totaled, and our car had massive damage. Instead of it ruining our vacation, the strangest peace and gratefulness flooded me. I was grateful for the miracle of no injuries other than mild bruises. Grateful we were 26 miles from the condo and not 200, since we had to pay a cab to take us the rest of the way. Grateful the man who hit us had insurance. Grateful for Walmart grocery delivery since we would have no car until our rental would arrive 2 days later. Thankful for the beautiful ocean reminding us that God is in control. Then, on top of it all, our condo had this picture hanging in it! How cool is that?
In summary, I think being thankful is mostly about making a shift in our perspective. We think beyond ourselves and begin to look at life from God’s perspective. One of the people who is so practiced at doing that is Joni Earekson Tada. Many of you may be familiar with Joni, who has spent most of her life in a wheelchair after becoming paralyzed from the shoulders down in a diving accident at the age of 17. Joni’s story of faith has changed countless lives, both through her ministry to the disabled community and her ministry to anyone who is experiencing struggles. In 2010, Joni was diagnosed with breast cancer. When I heard about her diagnosis, my immediate thought was, “Lord, hasn’t she suffered enough?” Joni’s reaction to the diagnosis, however, shows her God-centered focus. After the initial shock, Joni said something like this, “Oh, wow! Look what God is doing. Here is a whole new group of people that I can relate to. People with cancer.” How humbling to think of this woman of faith having those unselfish thoughts despite all the suffering she has already endured. And I have to wonder- would Joni’s teachings be as beautiful if she had not suffered greatly? Her life enhances her message. Oh, Lord! May our lives and our messages intertwine in such a beautiful way!
I hope that these posts have helped to bring ThanksLiving into your life! So how about it? Are you ready to turn your thoughts into action? Here are some ideas on how to convert those thankful thoughts into thankful actions:
- Tell your family or others some specific ways you appreciate them.
- Write a note to your pastor or a person who has spiritually encouraged you. Don’t assume they know how you feel. Thank them for their faithfulness. Think back to people who planted spiritual seeds in your life who may not know the impact they had.
- Thank strangers for their friendliness, helpfulness, even their smile. Be the Light.
- Listen to praise music. Think about the words. Give the words to God.
- Make a blessings list- Don’t ignore the fact that those things come from God. James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above.” Some of mine- family, hilarious laughter, a sunrise, mountains, the ocean, puppies, kittens, prayer with friends, music, a soft bed, air conditioning, my fuzzy robe, chocolate! Thank God for all of it!
- Make a spiritual blessings list. We made a pumpkin this year with spiritual blessings written on it. Make your own or use the list that we made. I have included a downloadable link for you to print your own copy of Spiritual Blessings. This is a great activity to do with kids and grandkids!
Click the link below to download Spiritual Blessings Resource
https://bobbieperkins.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Spiritual-Blessings.zip
May your Thanksgiving be filled with grateful enjoyment of your blessings!
