The Power of Being Thankful: 365 Devotions for Discovering the Strength of Gratitude (55 page)

Worry, fear, and dread are classic “peace stealers.” All of them are a total waste of energy; they never produce any good results. And we can resist each of them in the power of the Holy Spirit.

God has equipped us to handle life as it comes, but if we spend today worrying about tomorrow, we find ourselves tired and frustrated. God will not help us worry. Each day has enough for us to consider; we don’t need to anticipate tomorrow’s situations while we are still trying to live out today.

The only solution to worry is total abandonment to God and His plan. Even when unpleasant things happen, we can thank God that He has the ability to make them work out for our good if we continue to pray and trust Him (see Romans 8:28).

Father, I am so thankful that I can choose not to worry. Regardless of my circumstances, I can focus on You and trust Your plan for my life. Thank You that You are working all things together for my good.

God is faithful, and because faithfulness is embedded in His character, He cannot fail us or let us down. Experience with God gives us experience with His faithfulness. We all have needs, but we can be thankful that He meets those needs time and again. He may not always do what we would like, but He does do the right thing. He may not be early, but He is never too late.

I have seen God come through multitudes of times during the years I have been serving Him. I can truly say
God is faithful
. He has given me needed strength, answers that came just in time, right friends in right places, open doors of opportunity, encouragement, needed finances, and much more. And He will do the same for you! There is nothing we need that God cannot provide.

I thank You today, Father, that You are faithful. Your provision is always exactly what I need and exactly when I need it. Help me to look to You for provision in my life. Thank You that You are more than enough for me.

History is filled with examples of people who are famous for doing great things—yet if we study their lives, we find that they failed miserably before they succeeded. Their real strength was not their talent as much as it was their tenacity. Consider these examples:

These people succeeded in a variety of different endeavors, but they had one thing in common: perseverance. A refusal to give up is one of the symptoms of confidence, and thankfully, confidence can be yours in Christ. Keep doing what you believe to be the right thing for you, and eventually you will enjoy the breakthrough you desire.

I am grateful, Father, that failure can be a learning tool. Help me today to have the confidence and perseverance needed to carry on, even through failure. I thank You that, with You in my life, I will always win as long as I don’t quit.

There is only one thing you can do with a free gift, and that is receive it and be grateful. I urge you to take a step of faith right now and say out loud, “God loves me unconditionally, and I receive His love!” You may have to say it a hundred times a day before it finally sinks in, but when it does, it will be the happiest day of your life.

To know that you are loved by someone is the best and most comforting feeling in the world. God not only loves you, but He also provides other people who will truly love you. When He does provide, be sure to remain thankful for those people. Having people who genuinely love you is one of the most precious gifts in the world.

Take time to thank God for His love and all the people who love you! It is His gift to you and, I believe, one of the most valuable gifts that you will ever receive.

Father, thank You for the free gift of Your love. I am grateful that You love me unconditionally and You have put people in my life who love me too. I don’t take Your love for granted and, though I can never repay Your love, I want to live my life for You in return.

“I will not fear” is the only acceptable attitude we can have toward fear. That does not mean we will never feel fear, but it does mean we will not allow it to rule our lives. The Bible says that God has not given us a spirit of fear (see 2 Timothy 1:7).

Fear is not from God, but faith is! We should remember to do everything with a spirit of faith. Faith is confidence in God and a belief that His promises are true. Faith will cause a person to go forward, to try new things, and to be aggressive.

Be firm in your resolve to do whatever you need to do, even if you have to “
do it afraid
”! To “do it afraid” means to feel the fear and do what you believe you should do anyway. Stand in faith, be thankful for God’s promises, and boldly pursue what God has put in your heart to do.

Thank You, Father, that I can live in faith and not in fear. Regardless of the difficulty of the situation I may be facing, I will choose to do what You have called me to do, even if I have to “do it afraid.” Thank You for giving me the strength that I need.