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The views expressed here are those of each individual devotion writer. Thank you to our writers for their contributions to this ministry!

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Don’t Worry, Be Thankful

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as member of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:15

Being grateful and thankful for all God has given us are the most powerful factors to improving our lives and fulfill our purpose. Are you a grateful person?  Regardless of all the challenges we face, there are many things that all of us who follow God can and should thank him for.

Gratitude is a constant theme in the Bible; it is mentioned more than 150 times and commanded on more than 33 occasions. In Colossians verse, Paul, the author, admonishes us to become increasingly grateful. Gratitude is our choice. Since we can’t always control the circumstances, we need to practice adapting our responses to them. There is always something to rejoice about in every situation. Although our culture constantly reminds us of what we don’t have, consider these facts:

              If you own just one Bible, you have more than one-third of the people in the world.

              If you woke up healthier than ill, you are more blessed than the one million people in the world who will not survive the next week.

              If you have never experienced the danger of battle, imprisonment, starvation, arrest, or torture, you are more fortunate than 500 million people around the world.

              If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head, and a place to sleep, you are richer than three-fourths of the world.

              If you prayed yesterday and today, you are in the minority because you know that God hears and answers prayers.  (Excerpted from frankerb.org, 2021)

Prayer: Lord God, guide us to be grateful and thankful for the problems and worries we have. Let us realize that had we not been given so much by God, we wouldn’t have the experiences or find ourselves in situations that lead us to worry. Help us turn our worries into gratitude. Amen

“Some people grumble because roses have thorns,

I am thankful that thorns have roses.”  (Alphonse Karr)   

Carol McClain


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