The Power of Being Thankful: 365 Devotions for Discovering the Strength of Gratitude (72 page)

I always love to hear a great testimony, but I also know that behind every extraordinary account of someone’s life lies some kind of challenge or difficulty. No one ever has a testimony without a test.

We can pass all kinds of tests as we go through our lives, and passing them is part of never giving up. It’s vital for us to understand the important role that tests and trials play in our lives, because understanding them helps us endure them and actually be grateful for the strengthening effect they provide.

Everything God permits us to go through will ultimately be good for us—no matter how difficult it is. When we encounter tests and trials, if we will embrace them and refuse to run from them, we will learn some lessons that will help us in the future.

Father, help me to experience Your peace even in the midst of a test I may be facing. I thank You that everything You permit me to go through will work out for my good. And I thank You that You give me the strength I need to overcome.

Much of our thinking is habitual. If we regularly think about God and good things, godly thoughts become natural. Thousands of thoughts flow through our minds every day. We may feel we have no control over them, but we do. Although we don’t have to use any effort to think wrong thoughts, we have to use much effort to think good thoughts, especially while we are forming new habits and renewing our minds.

God has given us the power to decide—to choose right thinking over wrong. But once we make that choice, we must continue to choose right thoughts. It’s not a once-and-for-all decision, but it does get easier. The more we fill our lives with reading the Bible, prayer, praise, and fellowship with other believers, the easier it is to continue choosing thankful, faith-filled, godly thoughts.

Father, I am so thankful that though many thoughts might flow through my mind each day, I get to decide which thoughts to dwell on. Today, with Your help, I make a decision to choose right thinking over wrong thinking. Thank You that the more I do so, the easier it will become.

The future holds a mixture of things we will enjoy and things we would rather do without, but both will come. In Philippians 4:11–12, Paul experienced times of being abased and times of abounding, but he also stated that he was able to be content in both, and we also have this option (and ability) as a gift from God. I am so thankful for the ability to be stable because I wasted many years being upset about things I could not control.

Jesus promised us that in the world we would have tribulation, but He told us to “cheer up” because He had overcome the world and deprived it of power to really harm us (see John 16:33). Make life as enjoyable as possible; be thankful for it, don’t dread it. Face it with courage and say, “I will not fear, because greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world” (see 1 John 4:4).

I thank You today, Father, that I can have a positive, optimistic attitude about the future because I know I am not alone. No matter what obstacle I come up against, I can be of good cheer because You have overcome the world.

Our son once went on an outreach with a team that visits the homeless each weekend. After helping in this ministry, he called me and said, “If I ever complain again, please knock me down for being so stupid!” He was appalled over the things he had murmured about in the past once he saw, by comparison, how some people were living.

Think about it: Those without a place to live would love to have a house to clean, while we complain about cleaning ours. They would delight in having a car to drive, while we complain about how old ours are. It is easy to lose sight of how blessed we are, but we should work at keeping it in the front of our thinking. Be thankful for what you have been blessed with!

Choose to bless God all the time, no matter what is going on, as David did: “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalm 34:1).

I am grateful, Father, for Your blessings in my life. Please forgive me for the times I have taken Your goodness for granted. Today I choose to have a heart of gratitude for every blessing, no matter how small it may seem.

A group of pastors once asked me a question: Besides God Himself, what one thing helped me get from where I started in ministry to the level of success I currently enjoy? I immediately said, “I refused to give up!” There were thousands of times when I felt like giving up, thought about giving up, and was tempted to give up, but I always pressed on. I thank God for the determination He gives us.

Don’t let life defeat you—face it with boldness and courage, and declare that you will enjoy every aspect of it. You can do that because you have the awesome power of God dwelling in you. God is never frustrated or discouraged. He always has peace and joy, and since He lives in us and we live in Him, we can enjoy the same thing. We are empowered by God for difficult things, and with His help, we never need to give up!

Father, thank You that with Your help, I can be determined never to give up. I pray that You will give me the boldness and courage I need to keep pressing on to do what You have called me to do. Thank You that Your awesome power resides in me.