“Knowing Christ is the best thing that has ever happened to me, although winning the US Open was a pretty good second.”
Joyful thanks part 2
Giving joyful thanks to the Father. Colossians 1:12Last week we looked at the thankfulness in prayer. Five times Olympian, Veronica Campbell Brown sees thankfulness as an attitude to be cultivated.
“Thankfulness is a gateway to tremendous blessings. It has no off days. It is an attitude we must practice daily. God deserves daily expression of thanks for his past, present and future blessings, as well as for our successes and failures.
“Psalm 136:1 says: “O give thanks on to the Lord for he is good. His mercy endures forever”. Every morning we rise is more than enough to release an expression of gratitude to the true and living God.
“Each new day is a luxury with countless promises, and as such, must be truly appreciated. Constant expression of thanks and appreciation must be customary in our lives. If it is not your usual practice to give thanks and show appreciation for God’s blessings, it is a good idea to start doing so. No matter the condition of our lives, we are blessed beyond measure.
“Let us not permit unpleasant situations to hinder us from giving thanks. “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). God knows all that we are in need of and will always work things out for our good. But we have a responsibility to be grateful and appreciative in spite of our situations. In everything we face, God is right there with us as he promised: “when you pass through the waters I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze” Isaiah 43:2
“The next time you’re going through the fire what will you do? Thank God that he is in it with you or will you complain?”
Inside out, Veronica Campbell Brown, Meadville, Christian Faith Publishing, 2018