I love the months of October and November for so many reasons. First, because, well look around you. God puts on a serious show of beauty during these wondrous weeks of fall. Explosions of orange, red, and yellow at every turn. Pumpkins, squash, and bales of hay. Carpets of leaves, crunching acorns, and cool refreshing air. The fair, football, and feasts of pumpkin cake, pumpkin lattes, and pumpkin chocolate chip bread (oh yeah).
But secondly, in a word: Thanksgiving! What a gift to have these months to be reminded afresh to be thankful. Not just in some general, namby pamby way, but with conscious intention to recall specific things, people, places, whatever, for which we're grateful.
Oh my, how desperately we need that gratitude. You know why? Because we forget. And when we forget, we grow resentful or irritable or bitter. Never fails.
For instance, it starts right when we first awake in the morning. People who remember God's relentless goodness to them and who choose gratitude, tend to have the joyful attitude of saying "Good morning, Lord!" upon waking up to a brand new day, a brand new opportunity to love their Lord and love the people He's so graciously put in their lives. Those who forget, those who have the attitude of resentful discontentment, tend to groan, "Good lord, it's morning." Discouraged before the feet even hit the floor thinking and complaining: not already...not again.
Sure, thankfulness isn't the answer to the world's problems, but it's a start. God commands it over and over again in His Word. For instance, Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (I Thess.5:16-18) Or "Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His name." (Ps.100:4) Or "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice!" (Phil.4:4) Or "giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Eph.5:20)
I didn't see many qualifiers in there, did you? Giving thanks always. In everything. In all circumstances.
And I'm telling you, thanksgiving and praise changes everything. Yeah, yeah, it sounds simplistic, but it's true. I've seen it borne out in my own life time and again. Whenever the focus is upon me, myself, and I and my problems, well, it's not only boring, ugly, self-centered, and prideful, but it always leads to misery. Always.
But on the other hand, whenever we choose--by an act of the will--to move from what we lack to all that we've been blessed with, or we shift our gaze from life's obstacles to our Lord's omnipotence, well then, our focus completely changes...our hearts lift...and our spirits rise from resentment to rejoicing. From worrying to worshipping. Before we know it, our hearts that had been filled with fretting and selfishness are now overflowing with joyful faith and a renewed vision of the Savior.
As Paul David Tripp says, "Peace in times of trouble is not found in figuring out your life, but in worship of the One who has everything figured out already."
Maybe that's November's greatest gift of all--the reminder that we don't need to figure it all out...we simply need to worship. We simply need to choose praising God for who He is and thanking Him for all He has done. Even the small things...maybe even especially the small things, since often that's where we'll uncover hidden pockets of unexpected joy. Joy!
So, it's the beginning of November. Just in case you've forgotten, or perhaps, like me, need a little reminding since bad habits of busy ingratitude can creep in, it's time to start remembering to be thankful. Time to start choosing to be thankful. Time to start specifically writing down or saying out loud how we're thankful.
Start your list. Today. To God be the glory.
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