The Power of Being Thankful: 365 Devotions for Discovering the Strength of Gratitude (59 page)

God views conviction, correction, and discipline as something to be celebrated rather than something to make us sad or frustrated. Why should we celebrate when God shows us that something is wrong with us? Enthusiasm sounds like a strange response, but in reality, the fact that we can see something that we were once blind to is good news.

When we make enough progress in our relationship with God that we begin to sense when we are out of His will, then that is something to be thankful for. It is a sign of progress and should be celebrated joyfully. The longer we serve God and study His ways, the more sensitive we become to His will. We eventually grow to the place where we know immediately when we are saying or doing something that is not pleasing to God, and we have the option of repenting and making a fresh start.

I am grateful, Father, that You love me enough to bring correction and instruction into my life. Thank You that You are transforming me and making me more like Your Son, Jesus.

One of the strongest and most persistent fears that people experience is the fear that they won’t have enough of what they need. We want to feel safe in every area of life. We want to be secure in our belief that we will have what we need when we need it. This fear can lead to an ungrateful heart, because it brings the feeling that there is never enough. It is best to ask God for what we want and need and then focus on what we do have instead of what we don’t have.

God’s Word says that we are not to fear because He is with us. It is just that simple: “Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you” (Isaiah 41:10). Thankfully, He has everything we need and He loves us. So like any loving parent, He will provide for us. He has promised to never leave or forsake us. We can be thankful that He never sleeps, He is ever-present, and He keeps watch over us with loving care.

Father, I am thankful that You provide all that I need and so much more. I refuse to live in fear, wondering if I will have enough. Thank You that You are a God who does immeasurably more than I could ask or imagine.

If you’re not happy with the situation you’re in right now, will you make the effort to change it? Do you want to be in the same situation this time next year? Or do you want something different? If you want to have something different, ask for the Lord’s direction and then start moving that way. You can choose to pay the price on this end to have what you want later on.

You will have to spend some of this year moving toward your goals for next year. As you move forward, you’ll need to make tough choices, and you’ll come to some painful crossroads. But when you reach these places, press through. If you press through, you can be thankful that God is with you to help and strengthen you. If you begin working toward your goal now, you’ll have the victory you long for later on.

Father, I pray that You will help me be disciplined enough each day to move toward my goals. I thank You that You have a good plan for my life, and if I’ll do my part, You will always do Your part.

Throughout the Bible, we find the commands of God always come with the promise of reward. God is not a taker; He is a giver. He never tells us to do anything unless it is for our ultimate benefit. I assure you: Everything God ever asks you to do, even if it is difficult, He asks because He has something great in mind for you—but in order to experience it, you will need to press through the hard place.

Don’t think or say, “This is just too hard” when you know you need to do something. Be grateful that God never requires you to handle more than you can bear. With every difficulty, He always provides a way to overcome. You never have to say, “There is no way,” because He
is
the way (see John 14:6) and He makes a way for you. You can do whatever God calls you to do in life! You have what it takes!

I am grateful, Father, that You won’t ask me to handle more than I can bear. Today, as I press through the difficult areas in my life, I thank You that I am not pressing through alone—You are with me!

It’s sad to think that some people equate Christianity with just going to church and nothing more. In church, we are taught about God, but thankfully our life in Christ is more than just a weekly trip to church. Being a Christian is more than joining a church. It is a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

To really know the Lord, we must be hungry for the type of knowledge that can only come from God Himself through revelation—this revelation is available through His Word and by His Holy Spirit in a personal and intimate way.

Revelation goes beyond what we think, see, or feel. It is an inner knowledge of God that cannot be taken from us. When we have this inner knowledge of God, we can be grateful and secure, knowing that nothing outward can sway us from our belief in God.

I am thankful, Father, that I can have a personal, intimate relationship with You. Today, I choose to listen for Your voice and follow Your leading. Thank You for Your revelation in my life.