Overflow with Thankfulness

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I have so many things to be thankful for this year—God has blessed me in ways I never would have expected or imagined him to.

As I think about the people, things, and memories I’m thankful for, I feel a tug in my soul to not just go through the motions this Thanksgiving. When I’ve seen posts on social media I’ve noticed that almost everyone is thankful for the same “cliche” things: their family, friends, food, and/or pets. I’m not saying this is wrong (for I am equally thankful for those things as well!!), but I would like to address some aspects of our lives that I feel like we often overlook.

〈 Connections with Others 〉

The connections we make with the people around us shape who we are and what we do. Obviously, this aspect includes the priceless relationships we have with our family and friends, but I would like to look at this at a deeper level.

Most of us interact with hundreds of people throughout the day, through school, work, or just doing errands, and I believe that these seemingly insignificant moments can be amazing opportunities to shine our light to others and show them the love of Jesus.

You may say, “Okay…but how?”

I’m glad you asked 🙂

Smile! Be genuine; tell them to have a good day and be sincere about it. Ask them “How are you?” and making sure when they say they’re doing good they mean it. Have a good attitude; be positive! If some of these things are hard for you to do, pray. Get creative in how to broadcast God’s love.

In Philippians, Paul talks about the importance of having a humble and positive attitude. He says in chapter 2, verses 14-15, “Do everything without grumbling or arguing,so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.”

If you’re a Christian and you’re still alive, that means God has a purpose for you. Take advantage of and be thankful for the days you still have here on Earth!

〈 The Bible and our Eternal Destiny 〉

The Bible is one thing that I especially think we often overlook. God has given us the Bible as basically an instruction manual on how to live out our lives and follow Him—how cool is that?! Yet, we often say that we’re too busy to fit reading the scripture into our daily lives or we’re skeptical about whether or not it will actually change anything.

I challenge you to pour into the bible this next week. Meditate on the promises that God has blessed us with and discover the hidden treasures within the Word. If you’re having trouble focusing or really diving in, invite the Holy Spirit to come and help you; pray that God will reveal what he wants you to know.

The second aspect of this is how we also can forget that our relationship with Jesus includes eternal life. Because Jesus died on the cross, he paid our sins for us so that we may go to Heaven—with him! I’d say that’s something to be thankful for.

〈 Opportunities and Experiences 〉

In Matthew 6:34 it says, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” 

We often get caught up in the future, worrying about what tomorrow will bring, but I believe it is imperative to treat each day as special as the next and to be fully present in the moment. Give your worries over to God (1 Peter 5:7) for it’s there that you can find peace and rest (Matthew 11:28-30).

Be thankful that God knows what he’s doing, and that if you just say “yes” to his plans for your life, everything will turn out just fine.

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I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving day (and the wonderful mashed potatoes that came with it) and best of wishes for the upcoming holiday season 😀 God Bless!

P.S. I would love to hear what you’re thankful for in the comments below! ↓↓