A Thankful Heart

"...giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
(Ephesians 5:20)

The concept of giving thanks is not new to Christians, but how often do we take the Lord literally. Ephesians 5:20 instructs us to "give thanks ALWAYS for ALL things."

Yikes!! Can we do this? I don't think it comes easy. It certainly doesn't come quickly. I believe the longer we walk with the Lord, the more we know Him. The more we know Him, the more we realize we can trust Him. And the more we trust Him, the more we acknowledge AND appreciate His Sovereignty - His authority.

I have a wonderful example for you.

If you've read Morning Glory for any length of time, you know that I adore Corrie ten Boom. She is one of my heroes of the faith. Corrie is of "The Hiding Place" fame. Her family hid Jews during the Holocaust, were found out and subsequently sent to the death camps. Corrie lost all of her family members except for her nephew.

And still she gave thanks.

In fact, after she was liberated, Corrie spent the remainder of her life telling the world about the faithfulness of her Lord. The following is a fabulous example of having a thankful heart and the precious insight that is gained.

"Conditions in our barracks in the concentration camp at Ravensbruck were terrible. When we first arrived I told Betsie (Corrie's sister) I could not bear the lice that lived in our filthy blankets and mattresses. She replied, 'You must thank God for everything, even for lice.' Betsie was right. Because of the bugs which infested our barrack, the women guards and officers kept their distance, and we were able to hold our Bible studies without fear." (Each New Day, Corrie ten Boom)

Now THAT is food for thought! The lice, which anyone would consider horrible, were a blessing because they kept the guards away! As we come to realize who we are in Christ, I believe we begin to understand the Father's heart. We are His children. His heart is turned towards us. He is also Almighty God, Sovereign Lord. Nothing comes our way without His knowledge.

I said, NOTHING comes our way without His knowledge.

God promises that He will work everything together for our good when we love Him and are called according to His purpose. Do you believe it? Try expressing your faith with a thankful heart. Ask the Lord to open your eyes to see His wisdom in all things concerning you.

You just might be amazed, not to mention transformed.

Thank You, Lord! It is true that You know all things that concern us. Help us to take this to heart. Help us to walk in that knowledge because if we really do believe this and we really do believe that You love us, then we can be sure that there is a great reason for the hardship. You are preparing us for eternity. You are teaching us to trust and not be afraid. You are teaching us to rely solely upon You. Why are we so stubborn, or as You would say, stiff-necked? Forgive us Lord when we try to take matters into our own hands instead of leaning into Your understanding. We give You our hearts and ask that where there is discontent, You would replace it with thankfulness. You are precious, Lord. Thank You!