Some
of you know that each year I give myself a spiritual resolution. I challenge
myself to come up with one area in my spiritual walk that I need to grow in.
This year I challenged myself to be more thankful. I did this though my prayer
time with God. Each time I would pray I would start by praising God. Then I
would thank him for five things, people, or events that happened that day or
something reminded me of them that day.
The interesting part of my choice is that I chose it before I even knew COVID existed. The year before this year I realized that even with all the problems that come in my life I have a lot to be thankful for. Many times we forget that simple fact: we have much to be thankful for.
It isn't always easy to be thankful. This year I got the flu for the first time, got strep throat, was in quarantine for three months, did not get to go on my official vacation, did not get to coach for three teams I usually coach for, had to go through a lot of changes at work, and so on.
Perhaps you had some of these things happen to you as well. 2020 was not an easy year for many of us. However, this journey of trying to be thankful has taught me that it is all about perspective. Let me show you what I mean: I got the flu this year, which was not fun, but I had a warm place to stay and a family who took care of me. I had strep throat this year, which was not fun, but my sister stayed home with me to take care of me. I was in quarantine for three months, which was not fun, but I got to spend more time with my family. I did not go on my official vacation this year, which was not fun, but it made me more thankful of the time I got to spend at Camp YoliJwa later when I counseled. I did not get to coach three teams I usually coach, which was not fun, but I was thankful for the time I got to spend with the teams I worked with in the fall. I had to go through a lot of changes at work, which was not fun, but it made me realize how lucky and thankful I am for a job.
Do you see my point? Yes, 2020 has brought a lot of problems. We have a choice when those problems come up: we can focus on the bad things or we can focus on the good things that we have or that come out of those bad things. I am very thankful that God led me to have thankfulness as my spiritual resolution this year. It helped me get through the year, be thankful even when it was hard, and to trust in God through it all.
I hope that as you look back at 2020 you try to see the things, places, people, and events that you have to be thankful for. I pray that as we move into 2021 we all remember that we have much to be thankful for.
So, are you choosing to try to be thankful in all things? How can you remember to be thankful each day? Will you choose to trust in God and his plan?
The interesting part of my choice is that I chose it before I even knew COVID existed. The year before this year I realized that even with all the problems that come in my life I have a lot to be thankful for. Many times we forget that simple fact: we have much to be thankful for.
It isn't always easy to be thankful. This year I got the flu for the first time, got strep throat, was in quarantine for three months, did not get to go on my official vacation, did not get to coach for three teams I usually coach for, had to go through a lot of changes at work, and so on.
Perhaps you had some of these things happen to you as well. 2020 was not an easy year for many of us. However, this journey of trying to be thankful has taught me that it is all about perspective. Let me show you what I mean: I got the flu this year, which was not fun, but I had a warm place to stay and a family who took care of me. I had strep throat this year, which was not fun, but my sister stayed home with me to take care of me. I was in quarantine for three months, which was not fun, but I got to spend more time with my family. I did not go on my official vacation this year, which was not fun, but it made me more thankful of the time I got to spend at Camp YoliJwa later when I counseled. I did not get to coach three teams I usually coach, which was not fun, but I was thankful for the time I got to spend with the teams I worked with in the fall. I had to go through a lot of changes at work, which was not fun, but it made me realize how lucky and thankful I am for a job.
Do you see my point? Yes, 2020 has brought a lot of problems. We have a choice when those problems come up: we can focus on the bad things or we can focus on the good things that we have or that come out of those bad things. I am very thankful that God led me to have thankfulness as my spiritual resolution this year. It helped me get through the year, be thankful even when it was hard, and to trust in God through it all.
I hope that as you look back at 2020 you try to see the things, places, people, and events that you have to be thankful for. I pray that as we move into 2021 we all remember that we have much to be thankful for.
So, are you choosing to try to be thankful in all things? How can you remember to be thankful each day? Will you choose to trust in God and his plan?
Philippians 4:6-7 and 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Image from here.
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