I always love this time of the year, the weather in San Antonio starts to become cooler and we start in enter in to my favorite time of the year. I love Thanksgiving week and spending a quiet and restful time with my family. I love the fact that the Christmas lights start to appear in the neighborhood. You can’t help but enjoy the start of the Holiday season.
The apostle Paul gives us a secret to how to enjoy this season with words from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. He simply says, “rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
His first command is to rejoice always! We are to wake up each day with the joy that comes from knowing that Jesus Christ is Lord. It is a joy that is real because we know that God is always watching over us and taking care of us. It is a joy that comes from knowing that we are truly loved by the Creator of the Universe. It is a joy that comes from knowing that God causes all things to work together. Joy is the foundation from which a thankful life flows.
The second command is to pray always! Prayer is a critical element to a life of thanksgiving. Paul tells us “devote yourself to prayer; keep alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.” You cannot move to thanksgiving without praying to the Father in heaven. First because prayer is a true demonstration that your faith in Jesus is real. Second reason is that Scripture says that every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above. Prayer is seeking the one who is the giver of all good gifts. And prayer is giving thanks to the one who provides for our every need.
The third command is give thanks in everything. Thankful life is thankful for all that happens in life. This is the critical point to a thankful life. You may respond, “there is somethings I will never give thanks for in my life.” We live in bitterness and anger at events that have taken place.
In fact you might be thinking, “what good has God done for me?” Let me remind you this Thanksgiving.” (1) God causes all things to work together for good tho those who love God; (2) God has predestined that I will become conformed to the image of His Son; (3) If God is for us, who is against us? (4) No one can separate us from the love of Christ; (5) We overwhelming win in life through Jesus Christ.
These facts are true no matter what happens in life. So when we walk by faith in Jesus Christ, we wake each day with joy. As we go through the day we seek the Father in heaven to lead and guide us through the day. We asked for wisdom when we are not sure of our next step, and we lean on Him all through the day. Since God is good, we cannot help but give thanks for everything that happens through the day. When you walk this way, you are walking in the will of God.
And when you enter the holiday seasons, it is truly time is a time of thanksgiving and it is not because it is Thanksgiving Day, it is because you have truly learned to be thankful.
