Blessings on this Thanksgiving Day

   So it’s thanksgiving! It’s a day where we get to travel to see family who ask us “how is school going?” And, they give us hugs and kisses. It’s a time where we sit down and watch football. And, a time where we think about our blessings. Well thinking about my blessings this year led me to a song called Blessings by Laura Story (lyrics at the bottom).

   The song talks about the things we pray for. Some lyrics are: “We pray for blessings, we pray for peace, Comfort for family, protection while we sleep, We pray for healing, for prosperity, We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering.” And, it’s true that a lot of Christians I know pray for those things. Being comfortable is important in our society. We can’t afford to not have a financial plan, can’t afford not to have a house, can’t afford not to have a nice car, and we can’t afford not to have the things we think we need. So, we pray for God to bless us.

   I’m not saying that being comfortable is a bad thing but think about the disciples. When Jesus called them did they ask him to bless them right away? Did they ask him for a house? Did they even think to ask him where they were going to get their next meal? No, these men were willing to trust God to provide for them. True, at times, they forgot to trust God; but they were still willing to follow Jesus even though there were so many uncertainties. And they were able to impact more people because they trusted God.

   So back to the song. Some other lyrics are: “'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops, What if Your healing comes through tears?, What if a thousand sleepless nights, Are what it takes to know You're near?, What if trials of this life, Are Your mercies in disguise?” We don’t know God’s plan for our lives. I’m certain that the disciples were not expecting to do what they did in their lifetime. I mean they were fishermen, tax collectors, and so on. But, because of the work of God, they became so much more. God had a plan for them and he has a plan for us. We just need to trust him.

   Finally, we may be praying for the wrong things. If we focus on praying for things that are to make us comfortable we may miss out on great opportunities to see God at work. It’s true that God doesn’t have to say yes to everything we pray about. But, I’m sure he would love for us to say that we trust him to provide for out needs. So, rather than praying for that promotion at work or a good grade on a test, why can’t we say “let your will be done?” Because either way God’s will will be done, but in saying this one little thing we are saying to God “I trust you.”

   So will you trust God to provide for you? Will you be thankful for whatever God has given you? Will you be willing to forgo comfort in order to make an impact on others?

    http://www.songlyrics.com/laura-story/blessings-lyrics/