in all circumstances...

Sunday's sermon was a good thing for me to hear. Want to guess what it was about? Exactly! 

It was on being thankful. I know...shocker!

Anyway, it was about how important it is to be thankful no matter what you are going through.

Thankfulness should be a priority. You have to make it a priority to be thankful. 

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God, nor gave thanks to him. Instead their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Romans 1:21

It is HIS WILL for me to be thankful!

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Do everything without grumbling or arguing. Philippians 2:14

The Lord will give you the ability to give thanks in all circumstances!

Stop concentrating on what you have lost & focus on what you still have!

Let us continually offer God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that openly profess His name. Hebrews 13:15

I know this has been somewhat random, but these are some things the pastor said on Sunday that inspired me to make thankfulness a priority. There is much complaining and i don't want to be someone known for complaining. I want to give thanks to God even when I'm sad, even when things are going wrong... because I truly have so much to be thankful for. I am very VERY blessed. But sometimes I focus on what i DON'T have...and one verse he said (apparently I didn't write that one down!) says that complaining overwhelms your spirit. This makes sense to me, because how many times have i felt overwhelmed with sadness or with unanswered prayers? 

I don't have everything I want right now. I don't even have everything I feel that I need! But God is taking care of me & He knows what is best for my life. He has perfect timing for my life as well. Also? He doesn't owe us anything. Too many times we walk around with an entitlement attitude, feeling like He owes us something! But he doesn't! We are blessed just to know him! And to be able to worship him freely!

Give true thanks this week. Not just for the obvious things, like friends & family & food! But have a thankful heart even during the hard times... in ALL circumstances... He has done so much for us!