A spirit of thankfulness

Standing on the experiences, encounters, and knowledge we have about Father God, we can develop a spirit of thankfulness unrelated to our circumstances.

One of the Bible’s consistent themes is to love, worship and praise the Lord. Not such a hard request when all things are happy in our lives: we just got the job, met the guy/girl, or conceived the child we’ve been hoping for. But what about the times when the circumstances are quite the opposite? Our hearts are broken, we fear losing the job, or the doctors say we can’t conceive. How do we praise God then? How do we sing songs of deliverance and faithfulness when, from our vantage point, the circumstances look so bleak?

David is an excellent example. He experienced many mighty victories. He also walked through some very difficult and defeating circumstances. The Psalms show us how David continually praises the Lord—when things look good and when they don’t.

David writes over and over about the strength, protection, faithfulness and love of God. How could he do that when his enemies were trying to kill him? David didn’t just put in extra effort on hard days. Instead, he had a spirit of thankfulness and praise. He decidedly stood on testimony after testimony, from his ancestors and most of all from his own life. Over and over God had delivered David, fulfilled promises, and tangibly showed His love and favor in spite of David’s mistakes.

David recognized God’s posture toward him and that changed his heart. It built David into a man who KNEW God’s character, despite the wonderful or raging circumstances in his own life. Father God’s attitude towards David was the same every day. No matter the season or circumstance, that attitude was one of protection and love. David’s response of praise unlocked the freedom, rest, and confidence that he could walk in regardless of his circumstances.

We have this same opportunity. Standing on the experiences, encounters, and knowledge we have about Father God, we can develop a spirit of thankfulness unrelated to our circumstances. We can praise God’s majesty, kindness, provision, and power every day, because of WHO He is to us. Can you take a moment and jot down three times God has been kind and faithful to you? Let this be the start of a spirit of thankfulness today.