The Power of Being Thankful: 365 Devotions for Discovering the Strength of Gratitude (11 page)

The Holy Spirit acts somewhat like a traffic policeman inside of us. When we do the right things, we get a “green light” from Him, and when we do wrong things, we get a “red light.” If we are about to get ourselves into trouble, but have not fully made a decision to proceed, we get a “caution signal.”

The more we stop and ask God for directions, the more sensitive we become to the signals from the Holy Spirit within. Thankfully, He doesn’t scream and yell at us; He simply whispers in the still, small voice (see 1 Kings 19:12) and lets us know we are about to make a mistake. Each time we listen and obey, it becomes easier to hear Him the next time. He will always lead us to newness of life and inner peace if we yield to Him.

Father, when I am in a situation where I’m not sure whether to proceed or not, help me to hear Your voice. I thank You that You have a clear direction for my life and that You will lead me and guide me into Your plan for my future.

God blesses us so we can bless others. He wants us to have our needs met, and He wants us to be equipped to help people who are in need. This is one reason God promises to provide for us and to do so abundantly.

To help other people, we need strength, good health, and clarity of mind. We need money to help people who are struggling financially. We need clothes to be able to share with people who need them. We need joy to help those who are in despair.

God always provides these things—and more—as seed to a person who is willing to sow (see 2 Corinthians 9:9–10). This means, if you are thankful for what you have and willing to share with others, God will not only meet your needs, He will give you an abundance of supply so you will always be able to give. We can all win the battle against stinginess by simply practicing generosity.

I thank You, Father, that You bless me so I may bless others. Help me to see the needs around me, and help me to do my part to meet those needs. Thank You that there have been people who have helped me along the way. With Your help, I want to do the same for others.

Our joy is full when we gratefully receive God’s promises for our lives and obey His commands. When we believe the Word and obey whatever Jesus puts in our hearts to do, we overcome the things that try to upset or frustrate us. Believing God’s Word delivers us from struggling so that we may rest in the promises of God.

The Word says, “For we who have believed (adhered to and trusted in and relied on God) do enter that rest” (Hebrews 4:3). If your thoughts have become negative and you are full of doubt, it may be because you have stopped hearing, receiving, and obeying God’s Word. As soon as you start believing God’s Word, your joy will return and you will be “at ease” again. Thankfully, that place of rest in God is where He wants you to be
every day
of your life.

Father, I am so grateful for Your Word. I know that the promises and instructions You give me are for my benefit. As I hear, receive, and obey the Word of God today, help me to experience the joy-filled, overcoming life Jesus came to give me.

When you choose to confess and meditate on the thought,
I trust God completely; there is no need to worry
, you will eventually form a new mind-set that will enable you to put your trust in God with ease. You will habitually look for what is good and magnify it, thanking God for each victory along the way. Life is very enjoyable when we decide to pray about everything and worry about nothing.

Don’t be discouraged if forming mind-sets seems difficult in the beginning. You may have to say that you will trust God and not worry 1,000 times before you start to feel the effects of doing it. Just remember that each time you think and say the thing that agrees with God, you are making progress. Satan will relentlessly try to get you to give up, but if you will relentlessly decide to trust God, I guarantee that you will see the result in due time.

I thank You, Father, that You are trustworthy and I can depend on You in every area of my life. I trust that You can handle any and every problem I’m facing. I won’t worry; I will trust in You.

Giving thanks is an important part of prayer because, like praise and worship, it is something God
responds
to. It’s something God loves, something that warms His heart. Anytime we please God like that, our intimacy with Him increases—and that makes for a better prayer life.

Also, when we are thankful, we are in a position to receive more from the Lord. If we are not thankful for what we have, why should God give us something else to murmur or complain about? On the other hand, when God sees that we genuinely appreciate and are thankful for everything He gives us—the big things and the little things—He is inclined to bless us even more.

Father, thank You that I can have a personal relationship with You. I pray that You are blessed by my thanksgiving. I love You and I am so grateful for each thing that You have given me, no matter how big or how small.