"....giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Ephesians 5:20 (ESV)
Giving thanks is easy, but giving thanks for everything is a nearly impossible task. It doesn't even seem appropriate at times. But we have a comforter who helps us exercise thankfulness in every situation.
It's the Holy Spirit who enables us to do what God requires and teaches us a habit of gratitude - Psalm 92.
A prayer-less man cannot remain thankful for long because he is too overwhelmed by his problems.
Why does God tell us to exercise gratitude? Because when we focus on His work in our life, we'll discover our spirits have been lifted and our courage strengthened.
As we watch Him intervene, we rejoice more, pray with increased fervor and learn to give thanks in everything.
Giving thanks in everything is a process. Just like physical exercise builds muscle, the spiritual exercise or discipline of being thankful yields positive results. As we gradually put our trust in God for everything and get to know Him at a deeper level, our default response will not be negative but positive - thanking Him for everything because we know that beauty can from ashes, that He brings good out of evil, that He can make the impossible possible, that joy can come from sorrow.
Let's take the time to exercise thankfulness this season. Focus on the positive and not on the negative. Let's cultivate an attitude of a grateful heart.
