Psalm 50:10,12 NLT, “For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills… for the world is Mine, and everything in it….
Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High. Then call on Me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you and you will give Me glory.”
It’s easy to feel stranded or deserted by God when life is hard. Even though He’s promised to never leave or forsake us, I must admit, sometimes it feels as if He were a million miles away. And there are moments that I long for an awareness of His tangible Presence in my circumstances.
Lately, I’ve been reminded of how gratitude impacts my awareness of His Presence.
Psalm 50:12, “Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God.”
Psalm 50:23 NLT, “…giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors Me.”
I feel like I’m a thankful person. But I find myself more intentional about gratitude each year around Thanksgiving. Yet, I believe God wants us to have that same level of intentionally year-round.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve noticed how God has used gratitude to feed my hungry heart. Expressing thankfulness has reminded me of all He’s done on my behalf.
If we want a sense of God’s presence and activity in our lives or if we have needs for which He can only make provision (remember, He owns the cattle on a thousand hills and everything in the world is His), we must learn to be intentionally thankful. Try applying these steps in your life:
- Spend time thanking Him for everything good in your life – big and little alike!
- Thank Him for unanswered prayer. Things that you’re asking Him to make a reality in your life. Thank Him that He hears you when you pray. Ask Him to show you ways that He is at work.
- Be watchful. Look for the ways God is answering prayer and moving in your circumstances. Not just the big ways but especially in the small. The Word says, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” (Colossians 4:2, italics mine)
Having a heart of gratitude opens our eyes to His faithfulness and in turn nourishes our faith. Gratitude gives us a greater awareness of God’s abiding presence and allows us to experience tangible evidence of His nearness and love.
Especially when we need it most…
Luncheon: April 5, 2019
Speaker: Dr. Leisa Leonard
Protecting God’s Greatest Gift: Preserving Our Brain Health
Join us for our 8th Anniversary Luncheon!