Scripture: Isaiah 61:1-3

Even a Rose Has Its Thorns

The rose is certainly one of the most beautiful and desired flowers God has created, yet every rose grows with thorns. Life is much the same I think, and each of us must decide if we can be thankful for the rose while dealing with the thorns. 

I’ve come to believe that we would have no appreciation of or gratitude for life’s good times if we never experienced difficulties. Many of us are extremely grateful for all that God has done for us in Christ because we did have difficult and painful lives. God has given us “beauty for ashes,” as He promised (Isaiah 61:3 NKJV), meaning that He will take all the ugliness we have experienced in life and create something beautiful from it. 

The truth is, there is nothing bad that can happen to you that God can’t turn into something good. 

I encourage you to read the story of Joseph in Genesis Chapters 37-50. Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery and it looked like his life was ruined. But time and again, God took Joseph’s situation and used it to elevate him to a better place. He was eventually promoted to be second in command over all of Egypt! Not only did the situation ultimately turn out well for Joseph himself, but it also enabled him to save many people’s lives—including his own family—during a severe famine.   

You may not yet be able to see how your trial or problem could become a blessing, but have faith and trust God to create the beauty out of the suffering. Develop and maintain a thankful heart in the midst of it, and you will be amazed by the way God can use it for good.

Pray: “Lord, thank You for watching over me! Help me to see You working in my life, even when it feels like nothing good can come out of my situation. Turn my trials into something that glorifies You…and something that grows me into the person You want me to become. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Scriptures: Romans 14:19, Psalms 100:4

Get Your Mind Off Yourself

I have heard one of the deepest needs in human beings is to be appreciated. Charles Schwab said, “The way to develop the best that is in a person is by appreciation and encouragement.” No one wants to feel taken advantage of or to sense that what they do for others is meaningless. 

Psalm 100:4 says that we are to “be thankful and say so” (AMPC). This is a simple, yet powerful instruction. It means to have a heart that appreciates everything it is given and a mouth that expresses thanksgiving to God and to people through words. 

But when people don’t express gratitude, it’s easy for our enemy, Satan, to whisper in our ears, “You don’t really matter. What you did for them didn’t make any difference.” We have the power to help others avoid such a negative feeling by simply saying, “Thank you” when it should be said. And I suspect we could spare people many of the enemy’s lies by simply being more encouraging and appreciative.

Isn’t that amazing? We have the ability to give people value with our words. And expressing gratitude through words such as, “Thank you” or “I appreciate you,” not only blesses those to whom we speak, but it also releases something powerful in us. Showing appreciation helps us realize how blessed we are, and keeping that in mind gives us joy. 

We live in a world that seems to enjoy tearing people down. From social media to reality shows and talk radio, to conversations between people—we are not lacking in critical judgment, gossip, faultfinding, and reporting the worst news possible. We should be building people up, not putting them down. Speaking words filled with death is the habit of the world, but it should not be so among God’s people.

So, today I want to encourage you to go out and encourage others! Speaking words of gratitude is great, but you may also choose to text, email, call, or simply write a note to someone you want to thank. Doing so takes very little time, and it does both us and them so much good.  

Pray: “Lord, thank You for placing others in my life. Teach me to vocalize my gratitude whenever I can and help me to spread love and encouragement wherever I go. Let my words always build others up and add joy to their lives. Help me to be thankful and say so! In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Scriptures: Matthew 22:37-39, Psalms 27:4, James 4:2, Matthew 6:33

Seek God’s Presence, Not His Presents

One of the greatest lessons I ever learned is that we should always seek God for who He is and not merely for what He can do for us. 

As a young Christian, I constantly asked God to give me worldly goods and do things for me or bless me in certain ways. I wanted my ministry to be large and successful, and at the time I was teaching a small home Bible study group. I wanted my husband, Dave, to change and be more like I was. I wanted my children to be little angels who always pleased me in all their ways. 

I wanted and wanted and wanted—and was frustrated and discontent most of the time. I loved the Lord, but not fully as He desired for me to love Him. In my life, a time came when God revealed to me that I was unhappy because I was seeking the wrong things. My eyes were suddenly opened to the discontentment I felt. 

I realized that even though I spent time in prayer regularly, most of my prayers were selfish and materialistic. This was a turning point in my walk with God, and my joy increased greatly when I finally focused on praying for the things for which God wanted me to pray.

In Psalm 27, David desired “one thing.” All he sought was to dwell in God’s presence and see His beauty “all the days” of his life (Psalm 27:4 ESV). One thing! Truly, there is only one thing that can keep us content, which is to keep God first in all we do, all the time. If and when we put Him first, all the other aspects of our lives work themselves out. 

I recall God challenging me not to ask Him for anything other than more of Himself until He released me to do so. Each time I started to ask for a “thing,” the words stuck in my throat and I would say, “Never mind, Lord, I just need more of You.” This lasted for about six months. By then, my heart had been changed drastically, and I might add that God has provided for me in amazing ways because I sought His presence, not just His presents.

James 4:2 says that we have not because we ask not, so it is certainly good to ask God for anything we want or need, but more frequently we should ask for more of Him. Praise should outweigh petition, and our prayers should be filled with thanksgiving.

Matthew 6:33 says, But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (NIV). When you genuinely seek God for who He is and focus on developing your relationship with Him, He will fill your life with incredible joy…and all of the other “things” will come along with it.

Pray: “Lord, You are the most important thing in my life. Everything else comes second, and under You, everything falls into its proper place. Help me to know You more. Please teach me to seek after You in all that I do, so that I can be filled constantly with Your peace and joy. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 10:4, John 10:10, Romans 12:21, 2 Chronicles 20:21

Gratitude Is a Weapon  

God’s Word teaches us that we are in a spiritual war between good and evil. Our enemy, Satan, wants to keep us out of a relationship with God and prevent us from knowing and claiming all of the promises God has for our lives. At the end of the day, our misery is the enemy’s goal, and his only purpose is to steal, kill and destroy (see John 10:10). 

But God has given us weapons to help win this conflict. We can defeat the devil by recognizing his lies and deception, and by continuing to follow God and overcome evil with good (see Romans 12:21). Being thankful at all times in all situations is one of the greatest weapons in our arsenal, and it will help us win our battles!

If you don’t believe me, take a look at 2 Chronicles 20. In this chapter, we see an account of King Jehoshaphat being attacked by his enemies. As he sought God for protection, God directed him to take his position and wait on Him. God even told Jehoshaphat that he wouldn’t need to fight in the battle! Jehoshaphat did as God directed and sent singers out ahead of his army, singing, …Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever (2 Chronicles 20:21 NIV). 

They continued to sing and worship, and Jehoshaphat continued to pray, and that’s when something amazing took place: Their enemies became so confused that they slaughtered one another. Just as God had promised, they didn’t need to fight. Instead, God delivered the victory to them. 

Jehoshaphat’s story is a faith-building story. God’s people won a major victory through giving thanks, worshiping and praying—it’s a powerful spiritual weapon. See, thanksgiving ushers in the presence of God, and when God is present, we have the answers to our problems and all the power we need to defeat our enemies. 

The weapon of gratitude is powerful, but only when we use it. Today I urge you to use the power of gratitude when it’s easy and when it’s hard. Be thankful in all circumstances and give praise and thanksgiving to God instead of grumbling and complaining—and watch what He does in your life.

Prayer: “Lord, thank You being there for me in all my battles! When life gets tough, help me to stay focused on You and fight the enemy with praise and gratitude. Thank You for equipping me for difficult times, and help me to continually rely on You in all situations with a grateful heart. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Scriptures: John 3:16, Ephesians 1:6, Isaiah 53:4-5, 1 Peter 2:24, Romans 8:37, 2 Corinthians 5:18, 2 Corinthians 5:17

The Greatest Thank You

When we think of things to be thankful for, there’s one blessing that trumps all the others—the gift of Jesus Christ. 

Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we have been set free from the tyranny of sin and guilt and from the fear of being rejected by God. Even though He doesn’t approve of everything we do, He never stops loving us and working with us to help us change and grow. Through His grace, “He made us accepted” in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:6 NKJV). 

Here’s what Jesus has done for us:

• Jesus took the punishment that we deserved as sinners. He paid for (atoned for) our sins and set us free from the guilt connected to them (see Isaiah 53:4-5; 1 Peter 2:24). 
• Although Satan may come against us, we are already more than conquerors through Jesus, who loves us (see Romans 8:37). 
• He restored our broken relationship with God (see 2 Corinthians 5:18). 
• Through Jesus, we are born again by placing our faith in Him. Old things pass away and all things become new (see 2 Corinthians 5:17). 

I could go on and on, but I am sure you can see that we have ample reason to thank Jesus continually for what He has done and continues to do for us. 

The truth is, you are loved and accepted by God through your faith in Jesus Christ. Even if there were no other blessings in your life, this alone is and should be more than we could ever have asked for! It’s the ultimate gift, and it deserves our ultimate thanks.

If you haven’t accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, I invite you to pray with me right now. Just open your heart to Him and pray this prayer…

“Jesus, I know that I have made mistakes and I need You to save my life—I need You as my Savior. I have tried to do things on my own for too long, and I know it doesn’t work. So, today I give my life to You. I believe that You died on the cross for my sins and that You rose from the dead. Help me to live my life for You and You alone. Thank You for Your unending love, forgiveness and grace in my life. Thank You for a fresh start! Today, I start out my new life as a part of Your family.” 

Pray: “Lord, thank You for sending Your son to die for my sins. I am so glad to be able to have a relationship with You. No matter what happens in my life, I know that I can rely on Your overwhelming love for me. In Jesus’ name, amen.”