It is Day 16 of the 40Days of Return. Today’s instruction is to return to God with a heart of gratitude. The truth is that it takes effort to remain thankful to the Lord. The world system has been designed to make its dwellers unthankful, everything is competitive, it is left for you to not compare yourself with other people but purpose in your heart to remain thankful to the Lord. Nothing is constant in this world, everything is changing. But God says, don’t let your thanks be determined by circumstances. Bob’s story comes to mind as I ruminate on this.
God’s Will For You
It appears as if thankfulness is not an option for a child of God. There is no alternative to it. You are asked to be thankful. This is God’s will for you. Thankfulness keeps you in the center of God’s will for your life. Quit murmuring and complaining, don’t join the world in their game but lift your voice of thanksgiving to the Lord. God can not thank himself, He needs you to do that for Him.
The Goodness of God
Meditating on the goodness of God produces a heart of gratitude. When you flood your heart with the goodness of God, then thanks springs forth from your bowels. You have to look intentionally for the goodness of God in your situation, look beyond now and fix your eyes on the Lord or you may look down and believe the lies of the devil that God has done nothing in your life to deserve gratitude. Appreciate God for the people and things in your life, whatever you don’t appreciate will soon disappear. Never forget what the Lord has done in your life. Write them down and praise God for them.
Open the Gates of Heaven
Your heart of gratitude is the key that opens the gates of heaven to you. It is how you sustain the indwelling presence of God. Enter His gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name Ps100:4. The gates of heaven answers to thanksgiving. Many believers are full of unanswered prayers because they bombard heaven with requests without thanks. Turn to God today in thanksgiving. The singing side is the winning side.
Thankful in The Beautiful and Ugly Circumstance
There is a tendency for us to be thankful when things happen as planned or when life is beautiful and to be unthankful when the evil day comes. This is why the Bible says, be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Evil days will surely come, they won’t last but God will remain the same. Whether you are having a good or bad day, the word of God to you is to be thankful.
Keeping Your Tank Full
The way to remain thankful is to keep meditating on the word of God. Let it be your daily resolution. Fix your eyes on things that will never change, the word of God. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture (Ps 100:3).
Bob’s Story
Bob was a college student, young, born again, spirit-filled, vibrant, and zealous for the things of God’s kingdom. One warm summer afternoon, he decided to ride his bicycle down the slopes and up the hills to do his hard tricks on the bike. Unfortunately, He had an accident that left him in the wheelchair. Brethren prayed, fasted, and believed God. But nothing changed. He got married, pursued his career and ministry. When he was asked about his situation, Bob said, the best moments of his life began after the accident, He said that changed everything for him most especially his walk with God and that he is eternally grateful for the accident and will not give up the wheelchair for anything else in the world. while others viewed him as unfortunate, He was grateful for the accident. The question is, what do you see? Ask the LORD for His purpose in your circumstance and how you can partner with Him?
Talk With Jesus
- Father God, I thank you for Your will is for me to be thankful.
- I come before you with thanksgiving in Jesus’ Name.
- I Praise You LORD, for Your word.
- Father, I thank you for your wonderful works.
- Thank you for your faithful plan, purpose, and promises for my life.
- Thank you Lord for You will never leave me or forsake me.
- Every lie of the devil is exposed in Jesus’ name.
- Thank you, Lord, for your unfailing love towards me.
- Thank you, Lord, for your goodness and favor over my life in Jesus’ name.
- Thank you, Lord, for the blood of Jesus that speaks of mercy over my life.
- Thank you, Lord, that I made in your likeness.
- Thank you for making such a wonderful and gorgeous creature.
- Thank you, Lord, for all the glory, power, and honor of Your kingdom.
- Thank you for giving us, Jesus.
- Thank you, Lord, for your rule in the affairs of the nations.
- Thank you, Lord, for you to make all circumstances to work together for my good.
- My heart sings, my mouth speaks of your goodness and your love in Jesus Name.
- I give myself to a lifestyle of gratitude to the Lord my God in Jesus name.
