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Give thanks!
By Aria Gmitter — Written on Nov 28, 2019
Here is your daily Bible verse for today, Thanksgiving day, Thursday, November 28, 2019 for your quiet time with God or to journal in prayer.
Bible Verse of the Day:
"Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, and bless his name." — Psalms 100:4, (World English Bible)
The holidays can be a stressful time, even when you are surrounded by family and friends you love.
Thanksgiving is a time when we look at our blessings. What are you thankful for?
Sometimes it's so easy to show gratitude and to count your blessings because life is being good to you.
For example, when things go your way it's so easy to consider your fortune. The favor of God, when it comes to earthly comforts is nice.
Let's all admit. It's great when you have a family that's getting along with each other, but not every family does. And as much as you love your relatives, there are dysfunctional families everywhere.
When money is flowing and health is there, it's easy to be thankful. We all want blessings that provide a sense of inner and outer security, and when we have it, who doesn't shout an 'Amen'. That's part of the human side of things.
It's the type of favor we ask for when we pray to God, and it appears to be a sign to others that we are in good standing and walking our faith walk well.
But that's not what we always see in the Bible. Paul was in prison when he was used mightily of God, and those letters he penned during his pain are a large portion of our holy scriptures today.
The flip side to favor still requires us to give thanks to God, and it can be a beautiful thing.
In fact, the Book of Psalms are songs of thankfulness and gratitude, but they often were sung during David's loneliness.
The Book of Job also shows that during adversity, loss of health and wealth, and humans giving permission to say God has withheld a blessing, Job gave thanks...
It's not easy to give thanks for a burnt cake or when you're missing a loved one whose life was taken too soon due to disease.
It's downright hard to do when your heart is sunk so deep down in your gut that there are moments when you can hardly breathe.
But there are blessings that come during the dark nights of the soul that can become part of giving thanks, especially on Thanksgiving weekend.
You can give thanks for the love, compassion, and empathy you've gained through suffering because you are uniquely equipped to counsel someone through a difficult time because you have been there, too. Hardships are a unique spiritual journey, and nothing teaches a lesson like one.
A person who has lost a parent understands the benefit of silence when their friend or spouse is missing a person they loved but can't hug.
A person who is giving thanks for their job today may have been unemployed for years.
When their best friend's husband loses a job, their words of encouragement provide love and hope.
They have been on the other side, the darker one, and their words are a light at the end of a tunnel.
As we give thanks for the good things God has done, we also give thanks for the things that He has helped us to overcome.
The scripture about giving thanks found in Psalms 100:4 isn't just about giving thanks in church, but the courts of biblical times were the public square.
It doesn't just benefit the people you love to hear you do so, counting your blessings has a health benefit, too. It's good to practice gratitude.
Also, giving thanks to God in front of others can be such a beautiful testimony to our higher power.
You are a unique individual with special talents and traits. It's hard to know if what you did during your tough time will work for someone who is in similar shoes.
But what always works is God's timing. As the saying goes,"God is rarely early. He's never late, and He's always on time."
Journal for today's Bible Verse, Psalms 100:4:
1. Write down one time that you felt God abandoned you, but later realized that your hardship was a blessing in disguise?
3. What challenges is God helping you to work on in your life, and how is he calling you to love others?
2. How can you start to share your gratitude and joy with others you love who have experienced the same thing?
Prayer for today:
"God help me to give thanks for this day and everything that comes with it. Give me the heart to love others who are going through tough times and to remember sharing what you're working on in my life is living testimony worth sharing. Let me have a heart of gratitude for good times as bad as I accept all that you do, are doing, and continue to do. Amen."
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Senior Editor, Aria Gmitter, M.S, M.F.A. is a writer who covers love and relationship topics involving spirituality, astrology, and celestial events. Follow her on Facebook.