Monday 11th January
Prayer Week
Why does the bible mention thankfulness 114 times, 71 in the New Testament? Does God need our gratitude?God created our spirits, he made our brains and knows that we are prone to anxiety, he knows what this does to us emotionally, chemically and spiritually and he has given us a process to help counterbalance that, thankfulness.
Thankfulness is good for our mental health and spiritual wellbeing, it is a key that brings us back into communion with God and invites him to meet us there. Through covid and lockdown we have lost so much yet its also been a time when we have rediscovered some goodness in the simple things of life, things we previously didn’t space time for, let’s not miss the gift of them by pining for the past or the future. At the moment this is our season, let’s learn how to live well in the now.
Through thankfulness we learn gratitude, we can learn to recognise the beauty around us, but it also brings us to a place of honesty, obedience and vulnerability, where God joins us in our struggles and can lead us to a place of rest, peace and healing. We do not have to thank him for bad things, but to thank him for the good things that still exist around us and for the fact that he never leaves us or forsakes us, never stops loving us and uses all things for good.
Gratitude and celebration of whom God is can heal you and strengthen you whilst protecting you from being pulled down into a spiral of despair. Corona has knocked us but we have a choice whether to stay down or get up. Thanksgiving is tough, it starts as a sacrifice but it soon starts to release joy. It goes against the flow, it shifts your perspective, heals your despair, releases hope, and connects us with our saviour, bringing us to a place where he can heal and nurture, bring comfort and direction.
Try to spend 5 minutes today thinking about what you are thankful for. Through the week find moments to thank God for the things on you list, try and use this to encourage someone else.
Psalm 50:23
“He who sacrifices thank offerings honours me and prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God”
Romans 8:28“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those that love him”
Philippians 4:4-7“Rejoice in the Lord always, I say it again rejoice. Let your gentleness be evident to all, the Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything but in everything bynprayer and petition with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”
