Welcome to Autumn. The leaves have started falling. The temperatures are beginning to drop. It is time to be grateful.
If only it was that simple. The unfortunate truth is most of us operate with the belief system that we can somehow force our way to thankfulness and gratitude. The truth is even when we are successful, our feelings of gratefulness are usually short lived. What if we began to see gratitude in a new light?
First, this will require us to let go of our old systems. You know, the same old process where your needs and desires are at the forefront. It is only when our needs are met with adequate resources that we get to experience gratitude. In this framework, we may tend to minimize or ignore our needs and desires to remove our dependence on resources and supplies. The other option is to focus instead on where, when, and how we will find resources adequate to meet (and surpass) our needs and desires. In either case, the end result is a cycle that, at its best, yields temporary gratitude and consistent anxiety.
What if this year we did something different? What if we put down the self-help, self-empowerment, and self-centered approach we have been using for far too long and instead turn to some familiar passages to find a new approach. Take a look at these verses.
Philippians 4:19
And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
2 Corinthians 5:21
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Peter 2:24
He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.
Do you see it? Our need and our supply are both found in Jesus. When this becomes our reality, we begin to experience gratitude in all circumstances. My need and my supply both drive me into new realities of His grace, mercy, and love. This may be tough to wrap your head around because, for most of us, this system is just not how we normally function.
So, this year, let’s practice a new form of gratitude. Engage in a deeper level of thankfulness. Begin thanking God for your supply and your needs. Thank Him for all the areas of your life where you have a need. Do you need healing? Do you need peace? Do you need forgiveness? Thank God for the need that drives you into His presence. Happy Thanksgiving!
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