Thanksgiving During The Recession
Have you ever wondered how hard it is to give thanks during a difficult season of your life. If you are like me it’s very easy to focus on what’s going wrong in our lives. We have a housing market that is declining, our country is in a recession, people are losing jobs, children are being abducted and abused. Just turn on the news every evening and it becomes hard to believe that we really have anything to be thankful for.
Yet, this is thanksgiving season. I think of that in two words “giving” and “thanks”. Which means that in order to “give” there may just be a sacrifice on my part. In other words, it often takes a sacrifice to begin to focus not on our own circumstances but on what we truly have to be thankful for. Paul says it in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18,
“Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Yes, it is often difficult to focus and give thanks to God in ALL circumstances but it takes a conscience effort to look at the good in any negative situation. What is it that you have to be thankful for this holiday. Consider making a list of 25 things you have to be thankful for and then at the end of the list thank God for each of them. I would bet that you would probably not be very depressed at the end of the exercise. So offer a sacrifice and give God thanks during the recession.
Here are just a few of the things I am thankful for:
- My salvation-thanks God I’m not going to hell!!!
- My personal relationship with Jesus Christ – thank God I can talk to the Almighty 24/7
- My children – yes they are a handful, but thank God I have to bundles of joy.
- My RTR Church Family – thank God for a body of believers who continues to love and accept me just the way I am
- My job – although stressful at times, thank God I can pay the bills!
Well this is only a few you get the idea. What are you thankful for?
This entry was posted on Saturday, November 21st, 2009 at 2:20 pm and is filed under Pastor's Blog.
January 10th, 2011 at 2:00 am
I used to think: Yeh, I am saved and yet never went to church, never did pray, I even did not know how.
Here I am one small step at the time doing my best too follow him, the right way, and I see in my hearth doors are opening for me. I can not see why, but no matter any more I know he is in my heart. Yes even all around me is going down, I feel wow I am being left up. I feel brave, the “One” power is by my side. That is the only reason I can see nothing but good, even it can be hard, what is the use to have it all here when you know you can not take them with you. I thank him to show me this church, I thank him to save me, I thank him not giving up on me, the truth is more you let go more you will gain, we must drop this world and have more of him, the absolot faith, and we will be amazed to see wonders. to you all I am a one happy person to have found you, this church has powers, Godly powers, I am in my way to ask the Lord to answer to my prayers. Today I was moved, and am praying now. Look in your heart and you will find many reasons to thank him. He is good, he is GOD, he is love, he is always there for us.