Day 14 - Thankfulness
>>Daily Theme | Thankfulness
>>Read | Romans 8:1-39; Matthew 7:7-12
>>Devotional Reading |
As we end our 14-day consecration, we must not forget to give thanks to God for revealing himself to us during these past two weeks. The goal of our 14-day journey was to see God reveal the beauty of his design + timing as we walk in the promise of Ecc 3:11 that “He Has Made Everything Beautiful in Its Time.” More specifically, we set additional goals:
(1) To pray corporately for the upcoming year.
(2) To prepare our hearts individually to receive wisdom + instruction from the Lord.
(3) To ask for the Lord’s guidance in the various aspects of our lives.
(4) To remove any hindrances/obstacles from our hearts and minds.
(5) To devote our lives to be used by God in our family, community, vocation and world.
Prayerfully, as we have sought the Lord, He has instructed us in the way that we should go and will continue to guide us throughout this year. Even if we didn’t get answers to all of our questions, we must trust that God hears our requests and will reveal it in time. James 1:5-6 reminds us that if we lack wisdom, we should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault. However, once we ask, we must believe that he will grant us the wisdom that we’ve asked for. We do not want to be double-minded, but truly convinced that God is able to and desires to perform what he has promised.
So what do we do when it seems like we don’t have all of the answers that we need? We give thanks to God and continue to seek his face daily. In Luke 17, Jesus encountered ten lepers while traveling between Samaria and Galilee. While standing at a distance from Jesus, the lepers cried out “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” Without touching the lepers, Jesus instructed the lepers to simply “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” As they went, they were cleansed and healed. What we learn from this and other biblical examples is that God’s ability to work in our situations is not contingent on external demonstrations, but simply based on the Word of the Lord being spoken. Sometimes, God’s instructions are like those given to Abraham, leave where you are at and go to a place that I will show you. We must have the faith to believe that our obedience opens the door for God’s blessings.
So whether we received a clear word from the Lord or just a still small voice, we must know that it is the Lord speaking and we can trust that He will be faithful. But we still have the responsibility to be like the tenth leper. While all ten were cleansed, only one came back to Jesus to give him thanks. What are we thanking God for? We are thanking him for leading and directing us, ordering our steps and determining our path.
Finally, we must know that we are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus, who loved us and gave his life for us. Romans 8 promises us that nothing shall separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. If God did not spare His own Son, won’t He now, graciously give us all the things that we need? Build your faith daily and engage in the spiritual disciplines
>>Respond |
Not only is God interested in our destinations, He is concerned with the process of getting there. Ultimately, God uses our journey to refine us into the likeness of His son, Jesus Christ. As a result, true thankfulness occurs before, during, and after the journey.
Wherever we find ourselves in our current journey, take time to thank God. One habit that I have tried to maintain is keeping a gratitude journal, a listing of things that I am thankful for in my life. Keeping a gratitude journal helps me remain balanced and focused on God, rather than solely on my circumstances. I may not be where I want to be, but thank God, I’m not where I used to be.
In addition to giving thanks to God, sharing our journey with other like-minded believers helps us to grow in the faith. God never intended for us to complete this race alone, but through his body, we would accomplish the things that he has predestined for us to do. Some have already shared their thoughts on this blog, but if you haven’t done so already, I encourage you to share your thoughts below.
>>Reflect | Journal or pray through these questions
*Adapted from Experiencing God by Claude King.
- What has God revealed to you about Himself?
- What has God revealed to you about His purposes?
- What has God revealed to you about His ways?
- What has God revealed to you about yourself?
- What has God revealed to you about your priorities?
- What has God revealed to you about your relationship with Him?
- What guidance has God revealed to you about your circumstances?
- What adjustments is God asking you to make (start doing _______, stop doing ___________, continue doing ___________).
- What can you thank God for today?
- What further steps of obedience do you know God wants you to take?
>>Next Steps |
Pray
I will pray about __________________ consistently, asking for ability, guidance, and discipline to listen + obey by God’s strength
Ask
I will ask the Holy Spirit to help me to ____________________
thanksgiving
I will thank God for ____________________
obedience
I will start ______________________
