The Power of Being Thankful: 365 Devotions for Discovering the Strength of Gratitude (49 page)

We can love everybody, but we cannot be close friends with everybody. People who are upset with you for wanting to move on with God are often those who do not want to go on with Him themselves. Choose to form close relationships with other Christians who share the same values you have. A mature believer in Christ can help you reach new levels of maturity, but a carnal believer may be used as a temptation to cause you to compromise your faith.

God is faithful in all areas, and thankfully, we can ask Him to give us friends who will add to our lives instead of subtract from them. Always be thankful for good friends, for they are indeed a gift from God.

Father, when I find myself feeling lonely, help me to remember that You will provide the people in my life who will be an encouragement to me. I thank You that You provide everything I need, including friends.

If you and I think that we deserve what we receive from God because we have earned it by our good works—our great amount of prayer, our daily Bible-reading, our giving—then we are not going to be thankful or grateful. On the contrary, we are going to think that whatever blessing we receive is proof of our own personal holiness.

But when we understand that every blessing we receive is only because of the grace of God, and never because we deserve it, our hearts are transformed. We are filled with gratitude for the goodness of God. There is nothing that can cause us to overflow with thanksgiving and praise more than a revelation of the grace of God that has been freely poured out upon our lives.

Father, I am grateful today for Your goodness in my life. I know that I haven’t done anything to deserve it; You simply bless me because You love me. Thank You for Your perfect, unconditional love.

Before we purchase something, we like to check its quality. As we shop, we read labels or we look for certain trademarks (brand names) that have a reputation for being of good quality. That is what people should be able to do with us as disciples of Christ. Love is the trademark (distinctive sign or characteristic) of a Christian. People should be able to identify us not only by what we say, but by how we behave.

As believers, we have a great opportunity to show the world who Jesus is. We do that by walking in His love—the love of the Father that was revealed and expressed in His Son Jesus and is now manifested in us. The Word says, “
Let your light so shine before men
,” and nothing shines brighter than love. Keep in mind that you have the privilege of personally representing Jesus, and be thankful that He will use you to draw people to Him.

Father, thank You for the example Jesus gave us of how to love others. And thank You for the opportunity I have to share Your love with everyone I come into contact with today. Help me shine brightly in a dark world.

Sometimes we experience hesitation in life because we are afraid we might “miss God,” or do something wrong as we try to follow Him. Let me encourage you by telling you that if you miss God’s will for you somehow, you don’t have to worry—He’ll find you. I think we all get lost in life at times and need the mercy of God to show up and get us back on the right track. Today, you can thank God that He is faithful to straighten out any crooked path in front of you.

If you are afraid of making wrong decisions about your direction in life, all you have to do is remember how much God loves you and look at the testimonies of the people who have gone before you. The Bible is full of miraculous stories of God’s guidance and provision.

When we take a step of faith after praying and seeking God, if we
do
make a mistake, then God will help us get back on track. Thankfully, God can make that so-called mistake somehow work out for our good.

I thank You, Father, that You see my heart. If I miss Your voice and Your direction in my life, I thank You that You’ll find me and get me going in the right direction. I trust Your guidance and I choose today not to live in fear of missing You.

Many people don’t like change. Former U.S. president Woodrow Wilson said, “If you want to make enemies, try to change something.”

Often when we grow weary or simply become bored with a situation, we get restless and begin to pray: “Oh, God! Something has to change!” Then, when God tries to bring change into our lives, we say, “Lord, what are You doing? I don’t think I can take this change!” We often find ourselves caught in the tension between wanting change and fearing change.

Thank God, He never changes. Because He is always the same, we can trust Him through any changing circumstances or situation (see Hebrews 13:8, Malachi 3:6). This should give us great courage and comfort when we face changes in our lives. We do not need to fear change; we can handle it, because God remains the same.

Father, I am so thankful that I don’t have to fear change. You never change and You are my strong tower. I stand on the firm foundation of Your Word and I will live in peace, even when things are changing all around me.