“And you will overflow with thankfulness.” What a beautiful result of faithfully following Jesus! In our broken world, so many people wish for things that are hard to find and even harder to keep. They wish for material possessions. They wish for popularity. They wish for happiness. Sometimes they even grasp them for a time. But as we know, circumstances can change in an instant — and it is those moments of loss that show us what’s most important. In the Bible, we see time and time again that it isn’t outward circumstances or appearances that matter most. The inside is what counts . . . the condition of a person’s heart is what matters. And when we begin to follow Jesus — when we begin to adopt His way of looking at the world — our hearts begin to change. Little by little, as we grow strong in Him, our perspective shifts from the temporary to the eternal. We go from always wanting more, to seeing what God has already blessed us with. It makes us grateful — and it also makes us generous toward our friends, family and neighbors. I see it all the time in the lives of the women and children here at Shepherd’s Gate, many of whom have come from far worse circumstances than you or me. As they begin to follow Jesus, their list of blessings becomes quite long. They quickly shift their concern to others they know who need help. To be honest, it really humbles me to see their gratitude — I know it must really please the heart of God. As we approach this Thanksgiving season, I encourage you to take a moment to reflect on how God has blessed you this year. And as God leads you, I humbly ask you to consider how you might be a blessing to others. Feel free to share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below — and may you have a wonderful Thanksgiving season!
“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” —Col. 2:6-8
Photo Courtesy Darrell Jesonis