Determined to be Thankful by Jennifer Slattery

You know, I wish I was thankful 99% of the time (because everyone deserves a pass once out of a hundred, right?). I wish my heart remained centered in God when blessings flowed and when sadness came. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I love Jesus and will always devote my life to serving Him. But much too often I resemble a fair weather friend, or perhaps more accurately, a foot-stomping two-year old. Well, except I’m not that cute. (Unless you ask my husband, but you know what happens to men’s eyesight when they hit forty? A blessing for us women, to be sure!)

And yet, even on my worst, God’s love shines through. Even when I stamp my foot, or pout, or give him a long list of requests without taking the time to thank Him for the abundance He’s provided—His love remains. Through the loneliness of moves, the tears of friends lost, the frustration of hitting that same brick wall again and again, He’s remained.

And this Thanksgiving, that is what I’ve determined to be most thankful for. And yes, I italicized that word on purpose, because being the me-centered, temporal thinking girl that I am, that’s what it takes to center my heart and keep it centered in Christ. I must determine not to focus on myself, my material possessions, that giant chocolate candy bar I may never eat. 😉

Because when I focus on me—my wants, needs, insecurities, or fears—, I can easily believe I don’t have enough or am not enough. But when I focus on God and His eternal plan I realize He has given me everything I need and in Him, I am complete. More than that, cherished.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Paul tells us to “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” In ALL circumstances—the good and the bad. Let’s be real, there are times when that’s tough. Excruciatingly so. How can you thank God for trials and disappointments?

My opinion? You can’t. Sometimes life slams us to the ground and we feel as if we haven’t the strength to get up. Maybe ever.

But even then, God stays with you. In fact, I believe that is when He draws nearest. Whether we feel His presence or not, He’s there, for “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18 NIV).

He loves you when you raise a fist, when you cry out loud, and even when you run away.

He loves us so much, in fact, He sent His Son to die for us, in order that, those who believe, could spend eternity in heaven, where there will be no more tears, sickness, fears, or death.

I believe that is something to be thankful for.

Two years ago, I watched a dear friend battle brain cancer. I learned so much from that woman! But what impacted me most and comes to mind often, is the way she continued to draw close to God in love and praise, for you see, when she struggled with the why, she clung to and focused on the who. And the Who will never change, amen?

Jennifer Slattery recently signed with New Hope Publishers for her debut, a missional romance that reminds her of her true-life hero, her husband of 18 years. She also writes for Crosswalk.com, Internet Café Devotions, writes and edits for Christ to the World Ministries, and maintains a devotional blog at http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com

Please Follow & Like