In the mornings I have been reading various books about Thanksgiving to the kids. It is good for them to hear the stories of brave pilgrims, the new stories of families sharing time together playing, cooking and making memories. There are other silly stories of turkeys trying to make escapes and others about children making preparations in anticipation of Thanksgiving Day. Reading these books has sparked conversation and inspired ideas for crafts and plays over the years and helped them paint a picture in their minds of ways to recognize this season of thanks. It also helps me. These stories carry me along and help me reflect on what is important in this season and also how to shepherd and guide my kids through the festivity and to calibrate my heart on Christ and not just the activity.
Today I read a book entitled “Give Thanks to the Lord” and it was on the heels of a conversation with Gavin about our current situation and the decisions and realities of this season of major transition and the angst in my heart as I feel unsettled, conflicted, anxious and discontent. I also feel hopeful, encouraged, upheld in this season also. I read the title of the book and instantly my mind went to Psalm 92:1-8
It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre.
For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy. How great are your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep!
The stupid man cannot know; the fool cannot understand this: that though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever; but you, O LORD, are ron high forever.
In this passage my heart was strengthened and reminded also of Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: rejoice!
These passages and so many others remind me that my rejoicing is good, it is not dependent on my circumstances, and my rejoicing should be consistent. The Getty’s have a song called, “Rejoice”
Rejoice and be anxious for nothing
Praying for all that you need
Come with a song of thanksgiving
Lay your requests at his feetHis peace will fall upon us
To guard our hearts and minds
In Christ who reigns eternal
The shepherd of our lives
My thanks and requests to God go hand in hand and it is good for me to give thanks to Him. He is unchanging and one of His attributes is that He is unchanging, another attribute is also that He is good. His goodness is unchanging. Just as the moon is always round even though I can’t always see it completely I know that it is always true. My inability to see the fullness of God’s goodness doesn’t negate it’s existence. In faith I can believe that He is good and that He is worthy of my thanks and rejoicing all the time.
The rejoicing and thanks that I give to God isn’t dependent on my circumstances. There are many examples of people in the hall of faith that have rejoiced in hard times and in seasons of disappointment or loss. Rejoicing is a tuning and turning of my heart to acknowledge the Giver, the Author, and my Creator in thanks to Him for His watchful eye over my life and His refining and cultivating my character and faith as He moves me through deep waters, shallow streams, rushing waves and still waters, each one bringing endurance, character and hope. I want what God wants for my life. I want my life to be soaked up and wrung out for God and His glory.
My rejoice and thanks should be consistent and I do think that I would like God to know that He can depend on me expressing my thankfulness to Him as consistently as the waves wash up on the shore. I would like to be counted among the faithful and have my Heavenly father hear me expressing thanks to Him for all He has done for me. Words of praise only come out of a mouth that is connected to a heart of praise and the more I know God, study His Word, and learn about His attributes the praises and thanks just come out. I will find the good if I am looking for it. My heart will speak the praise if it is tuned to that. Aristotle said
Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence. But we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
-Aristotle
But I do think that I could change it to say
Praising God is an art won by training and habituation. We do not Praise God because we have virtue or excellence. But we rather do that because we have praised. We are what we repeatedly do. Praising God, then, is not an act, but a habit.
Making the decision to rejoice or have a thankful heart is one that I (and you too!) can make today that in EVERY season I will praise the Lord. I can choose to remember, when I am tempted to complain or withhold dwelling on thanking God, it is GOOD to sing praises to our God, that He has made me glad!
When one of my little ones Brought over the book, Give Thanks To The Lord, I took a deep breath and was grateful for the swift reminder that it is good to give thanks to the Lord. He is my glory and the lifter of my head.
