I HAD a tough, nauseating, weak, painful day with my muscle disease yesterday, before I had IV treatments… THEN Took three try’s to get IV in and then after an hour or so had to take it out as the pain was too much… tried the other arm and got in after two try’s and got to finish the treatment… but the pain increased… despite starting treatment with pain med’s that nurse told me that they give to patients after open heart surgery and mine was a higher dosage… didn’t work… just a bad day pain wise.
“But God…” when I woke up after very little sleep I usually wake 10-15 times a night and never feel rested, just exhausted… but I began to go through the alphabet letters and thank HIM for people whose names came to mind and = no= it didn’t change how I felt but going through the letters just helps me FOCUS… and with each giving of thanks I know two truths are happening based on…
1.- GLORIFYING GOD- Luke 17:11-19 concerning the one leper who returned and Jesus says He GLORIFIED GOD… when He gave Him thanks! So giving Him THANKS… GLORIFIES HIM! So if you give Him thanks six times that is Glorifying Him six times… if you give THANKS for His attributes or for others using the alphabet letters , how Many Times is that you have GLORIFIED Him? So as you give Him thanks KNOW you are GLORIFIED Him…
2.- DOING THE WILL OF GOD- in 1 Thess 5:17-18 when you Give HIM THANKS… you are DOING THE WILL OF GOD! it’s not subjective but based on revealed truth in His Word…”In everything Give Thanks for This IS THE WILL OF God for YOU In Christ”
I hope this encourages you to Know You ARE Glorifying Him and DOING His will when you are Giving Him thanks… These are TWO GOOD REASONS to Give Him thanks 🙂
3.- LOVING GOD -Also know “He who has My commandments and Keeps them LOVES ME!”-{john 14:21-23… Obeying the command to Give Him thanks… is an expression of LOVE to Him… and one more truth to encourage you regards prayer .
4. -TALKING TO GOD-Paul says in Col 4:2 “Devote yourselves to prayer , staying alert…” But how? “… through THANKSGIVING”…
Why GIVE THANKS?
1. It Glorifies God
2. It is DOING His will { you dont have to guess is this what he wants you to DO}
3. It Expresses LOVE to Him
4. It keeps you spiritually ALERT and aids in Devoting yourself to Prayer.
So we can Give Him thanks because we know, irrespective of pain, joy, or pleasant or difficult circumstances we can let His Word Rule and Guide and encourage us as to WHY we can give Him thanks who is worthy of our Thanksgiving…
One of the first things I try do when I awake is to go through the alphabet alternating between thanking Him for His attributes, or Thanking Him for others or Thanking Him for who He has made me in Christ… and knowing He is glorified and I am DOING His will…. it helps me try and win the battle for my thought life when waking in chronic pain, exhausted from little sleep… and it is just one way I try and… FOCUS… my Mind on Him…when I just dont feel good….
And I am THANKFUL to Him this is one way He is training me amidst my life’s circumstances… If I wait until I”feel’ well, then there would be few if any Thanks going up to Him, as my circumstances and painful , debilitating ones at that would master me.This is one reason we cannot allow how we “feel” to control us over what He says on His Word… This is part of the “fight of faith.”
The fight of faith in His Word over feelings, circumstances and the demonic lies that would seek to tempt us that there is no use in giving Him thanks, its a waste of time, or even accusatory and manipulative thoughts ” Why does He not do something ?…What do I get out of it if I give Him thanks… ?” But as the above four verses I listed show there is REASONS WHY to Give Him thanks not to mention “…GIVE THANKS to the LORD for HE IS … GOOD!”-{Psalm 107:1}
Perhaps this may help and encourage you to continue growing in THANKS to HIM and knowing WHAT and WHY You are doing as you CHOOSE to give Him thanks…. You ARE Glorifying Him, You ARE Doing His Will, You ARE Expressing Love to Him and You ARE Staying alert as You devote yourself to PRAY…. as you continue GIVING thanks to HIM. WAY TO GO!!
- Hope this may encourage you…and thanks for your prayers AND Kindness!
‘Oh GIVE thanks To The LORD for He is GOOD and His Love ENDURES Forever”- {Psalm 107:1}