Tag: gratitude

A Life of Thanksgiving

On By vickleaIn Admonition, praise, Scripture, YouVersion App4 Comments

A Life of Thanksgiving (YouVersion Daily Refresh, 5-19-25)

How thankful are you when you talk to God? The world around us generally doesn’t encourage thankfulness. We’re taught to look after ourselves in order to get what we think we deserve.

And yet—Christians ought to be the most thankful people on earth because we have been given everything by God. James 1:17 reminds us that every good gift comes from Him. This implies that God is always acting in kindness toward us.

Not only has God given us life and breath, but He has also offered us the free gift of eternal life. God made a way for us to have a relationship with Him through the death and resurrection of Jesus. That alone is more than enough for us to live a life of gratitude toward God.

Because of what He’s done for us, our hearts should be in a constant state of thanksgiving. And yet, we often find ourselves complaining because things don’t go the way we want. We grumble because we don’t have the things we think we deserve. And the more that we complain, the more our hearts grow critical and bitter.

Thankfully, Psalm 100 gives us the antidote for grumbling and complaining: thankfulness. Thanksgiving is a spiritual habit that we have to intentionally develop through continual practice. We can practice by taking time each day to talk with God, and to thank Him for all He has done. We can also practice thankfulness by telling others how grateful we are for them.

So the next time you find yourself complaining or grumbling, take a moment to think about the love and goodness of God in your life. Instead of complaining, express how thankful you are for who God is and what He has given you. Keep a list of things you’re grateful for and add to it throughout the week. Watch as your heart and mind begin to be transformed by the simple act of thanksgiving.

My Thoughts

I really needed this devotional today, so I am preaching to myself and not necessarily to you, my readers. I must confess that by the time our long journey to three graduations in nine days was ending, I was grumpy, with a capital G. Nothing my husband tried to do appeased me. I was determined to be miserable. My legs ached, my shoulders hurt, I was too old and too tired for this adventure, and on and on. Then, the Holy Spirit reminded me that I had been healed after a stroke and should be counting my blessings that I could attend these ceremonies of these very special grandchildren instead of whining about how inconvenient it was for me and my poor body. So, I did an about face and started looking for things to be thankful for, especially my health, even though I was feeling weak and unable to walk another step at times. Thus, I was able to walk more than the length of a football field to our car when the last ceremony concluded on Saturday.

This morning started as usual. I slept in a little later than what is normal for me because I didn’t get in bed until after 2 a.m. Anyway, everything was going well until I picked up my Ipad and sat in my recliner to do my morning devotions. The black screen of death greeted me! I was distraught, but I had my phone so I looked up what “fix” I could do. Well, I thanked God for technology and followed through with the instructions online. Did you know that you can “gently burp” your IPad? Well, I tried that and it didn’t seem to work, so I went to the hard reboot and prayed really hard. Thank the good Lord that it worked and now I am using that IPad to tell everyone how thankful I am that it did.

We have had some tough losses lately. The lady named Verna who led me to the Lord over fifty years ago passed away this weekend. The elderly lady from our former church who allowed us to live with her when a hurricane made it impossible for us to live in our home until electricity was restored passed away last week. Finally, a very dear friend from where I used to teach is on home care for cancer and not doing well, so her loss seems to be inevitable. All of this saddens me, but it also makes me reflect on how good God has been to me throughout these decades I have spent as His beloved child. Healings too numerous to fit on this page, blessings of children, grandchildren, family visits and new friends at new places and a new church.

I have so much to be thankful for that I don’t have time to complain. How about you? Are you in the mollygrubs and need a reality check from the Holy Spirit? Or are you a naturally cheerful and thankful person? That is what I am striving to be as old age has caught up with me, aches have become a constant part of my life, and I know without a doubt that I have already lived more than the majority of my life. That being said, in whatever time God blesses me to continue to live on the earth, I want to remember to be thankful every day, in every way, for everything He is and all He has shared with me.

A good verse to remember is Colossians 2:6-7:

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭2‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/111/col.2.6-7.NIV

Happy Mother’s Day

On By vickleaIn gratitude, Scripture2 Comments

I like that we celebrate mothers because I know that many work hard at the job of raising children. I am especially grateful for those mothers who raise their children to know the Lord and to have God as a priority in their lives. Some mothers gave birth to their children, some have adopted children and some are mothers of the heart. Whatever you are and wherever you are, may God bless you for your love and faithfulness.

Be The One

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion AppLeave a comment

www.bible.com/reading-plans/23192/day/15

For several years now, the school at which I used to teach has a sign on their marquee out that says, “Be the one.” What they are saying is to be the one to take a stand, make a difference, help others, etc. When I read this devotional this morning, I decided that the saying can also mean to be the one who shows gratitude. How often are we blessed and then just walk away feeling satisfied with our lives but we don’t take time to thank the One Who blessed us? I want to be the one who thanks God for everything, every time. I am not there yet, but I am working on it.

For example, this morning, in my state of grumpiness and being overtired from not sleeping well (pneumonia’s cough will do that to you), I saw my nebulizer charging on the table and sighed. Then, I stopped myself and said “thank you” to God that I have a nebulizer and the meds that go with it and the electricity to power it and a doctor who prescribed it. That means that I don’t have to head to the hospital every time I have difficulty breathing. That was a real thing in the 70’s and 80’s and I spent a lot of time in the ER having breathing treatments that I can now do at home. So, it’s a small thing to most people who don’t depend on that machine to help them breathe, but it’s a big thing for me.

I challenge you today to “be the one.” Be the one who notices what God is doing in your life, the small things, the big things, anything and everything and remember to thank Him for each one. I am particularly thankful for the breaths I take, the ones that God gave me when He created me. Others may take breathing for granted, but I know that each breath I take is a gift from God. What are you thankful for today?

Wh

Creating a Well of Thank-FULL-Ness

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion AppLeave a comment

www.bible.com/reading-plans/23192/day/13

We can be like most people today and take God and His favor for granted, or we can choose to be like Daniel and establish the habit of being thankful. Then when tests and trials come, our natural inclination will be to continue to be thankful in spite of them, not because of them. I want a deep well of thank-full-ness that flows from within me to the Lord, knowing that no matter what is going on around me, He is still God and He deserves my thanks.

Lips Overflowing with Praise

On By vickleaIn YouVersion AppLeave a comment

Glory In The Lord

Pause for a moment and consider how good God is. Thank Him for the breath you have, the life you live, and all the blessings you experience.

God is worthy of your praise.

Life isn’t perfect; there’s pain, suffering, and grief we all must endure. We all face dark and tough seasons.

However, Jesus experienced similar trials in His life. He grieved the loss of His friends, endured pain and suffering, and walked through dark times—feeling abandoned even on the cross.

None of these experiences alter the goodness of God. He remains good, present, and strengthens us in our suffering.

That’s why in 1 Chronicles 16:10, the writer encourages us to glory in His name. It means we should praise and uplift God in our lives. Our lips should overflow with praise, thanking God for who He is and what He has done.

What are some things you can thank God for today? How can you praise Him? Perhaps start by listing things you’re grateful for, then praising God for each one.

You might also list challenging aspects of your life. Spend time praying during this Advent season, asking God to oversee your circumstances. Thank Him for listening and being present, even in tough seasons.

Intentionally Worship God

On By vickleaIn YouVersion App1 Comment

Give Him Your Praise

Worship is the act of praising God for who He is and what He has done for us. Throughout Scripture, worship is a central act of the Christian life.

As Christians, we have received so much from God. Through Jesus Christ, we have received salvation and grace. We now have a new life in Christ and are secure for eternity.

Our response back to God for all of these things should be worship. Praising Him for His goodness and mercy and thanking Him for the things He has done.

We often think of worship as singing songs to God. And within this form of worship, we can do things like clap our hands, pray to God, or raise our hands in awe of Him.

But, singing songs is not the only form of worship. We can worship God in every area of our life. We worship God through prayer and gratitude. We can also worship God by being in awe of His creation.

As the writer of Psalm 47 says, shouting out to God and worshiping God comes from the joy within our heart. As we consider the greatness and goodness of God, as well as everything He has given us, we worship Him out of the joy within us.

Consider during this Advent season how you can intentionally worship God. You can begin by thanking Him for His faithfulness and goodness or any of His other attributes. Express your gratitude for the things He has done in your life and the things He’s given you.

Be the One

On By vickleaIn Scripture1 Comment

This is a phrase that is popular on school message boards around here. What they mean to say is to be the one who makes a difference. But after my devotional today, I have a new view of who that “one” is.

Ten lepers went to Jesus for healing. All received a touch from the Savior but only one returned to thank him. He is “the one” that I want to emulate. I never want to take Jesus’s blessings for granted. I always want to give Him the thanksgiving and glory. Jesus Himself noticed that only one came back.

If we are going to take the time to pray to God and expect answers from Him, then we also need to take time to give thanks to Him when the answers come. We want to be the one who acknowledges that all glory belongs to God…all we have, all we are and all we will be all come from Him. So, let’s pause in our struggles with life and the daily things that take our focus away from what is really important. Let’s thank God for at least five things today and every day. (There should be a lot more thanksgiving on our list, but we can start small and build up a needed habit.)

Lord God, I come before you today with a heart filled with gratitude and love. You have created me and know all about me and all of my failings. Thank you that you show your love for me by being patient with me. Thank you that you give me the strength to get through the task for each day. Thank you that you have given me a husband, a mate fit for me, who walks beside me in this journey called life. Thank you that you have given me a church with good friends there. And finally, thank you, Lord, that you are still working on me and in me to make me what you want me to be so that I can better serve you. May today be a day of blessing for all who read this. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

What to Do with the Message of Christ

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

Imagine if all of us who call ourselves Christians carried out the truth of this verse in our lives! Like the early disciples, I think we would set the world on fire with the Gospel. Others would hear and see a living witness. So, what is stopping us from following this admonition? Our own choices, of course. Think about it and what you can do to build up others in Christ.

Have a blessed day, filled with God’s love and His word active in your life and heart!