Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. – 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT
The month of November is full of many activities worldwide especially as many prepare for Christmas and the end-of-the-year celebrations. America and Canada even include another celebration called Thanksgiving.
Some will be happy to see the end of the year and wish more of the same in the new year. For others, a deep sadness can set in for many reasons due to significant or unexpected events that seem to shift life off its axis. Or just seeing another year coming to an end with issues remaining the same with no hope of progress or positive development.
Whatever the case may be, there are always reasons to be grateful. There is a saying that, “Once there is life, there is hope”. And here is a list of reasons to be grateful:
- Roof over your head
- At least one meal a day with the ability to choose what you want to eat
- Children, families and friends
- The ability to see, touch, smell and feel
- Money to spend and/or the ability to earn an income
- Able to move around even within your own home is a blessing
- Good health
- And for those with health issues, there are health providers to support them.
These are just a few and as Christians, we have even more reasons to be grateful:
- God’s mercy, kindness and compassion
- The sacrifice of Jesus Christ and being partaker of the blessing of knowing Him
- Our sins are forgiven
- The gift of the Holy Spirit
- Being part of the body of Christ
- Life is not always easy but in it all we have the peace of God that surpasses all understanding.
The blessings of God are countless and that alone testifies to His goodness. Sometimes we worry and fret over the things we don’t have and forget to be thankful for the things that we do have.
The Psalmist encouraged us to be filled with overflowing gratitude when we look deep within and recall the amazing all-round goodness of God. – “Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases…He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities…As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Psalms 103:1-3, 10-12 (NKJV)
I love the hymn, “Count your blessing”, the chorus says:
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your blessings, see what God has done;
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done!
Gratitude is good for our well-being; science has proved it. It opens the door to more blessings, and it is a delight to God. Being grateful is not for one day in the year, it should be a habit to adopt daily.
So, what are you grateful for today?
Stay blessed,
LaraLex
Hills and Valleys 