Let us give thanks

As we enter the week of Thanksgiving, take an inventory of your life and give thanks. I would encourage you to give thanks to friends, family members, co-workers, employers, pastors, and elders. Don't forget about the people that serve you by collecting your trash, police officers, bus drivers, teachers, doctors, and others. Most of all give thanks to the Lord.

However, many times it's difficult to give thanks because we spend a lot of time focusing on what we don't have and don't like. If we're not careful, we can let our hearts become more ungrateful than thankful.

Webster defines ungrateful as showing no gratitude.

Today my Pastor Billy Johnson encouraged us to give thanks from 1 Thessalonians 5:18. When I reflected on my level of gratitude, I haven't been thankful. I might be thankful, but my failure to express my gratitude, is still showing no gratitude. However, how beautiful it is to hear the words thank you. Think about it, when you take the time to say thank you and express gratitude, it leaves your heart in a wonderful place.

This week thank the Lord for giving you life.  Thank Him for being humiliated for you. Thank Him for being spit on and punched in the face for you. Thank Him for being mocked for you. Thank Him for being pierced in His side for you. Thank Him for wearing a crown of thorns for you. Thank Him for being crushed by God the Father for you. Thank Him for being crucified for you. Thank Him for standing before God the Father as if He was sinful for You. Thank Him for dying in your place. Thank Him for coming back to life for you. Thank Him for giving you salvation.

Because in our life we have all spit in God's face with our sinful lifestyles, we've mocked him, we've pierced Him with our complaining, if given the opportunity we would have pressed the crown of thorns harder on His head and caused Him more pain. Yet Romans 5:6 says "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly." You and I have all lived ungodly lives, and if you are a Christian and you intentionally sin before God, you grieve Him more than the unbeliever.

Brothers and sisters, give thanks to the Lord, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.