I so enjoyed all your comments last week listing what you are thankful for! I read them time and time again. What a wonderful way to enter into Thanksgiving week. In this strange year of of 2020, we still have much to be thankful for. But what about the times when we just don’t feel very thankful?
When the job stinks or the kids get on that last nerve. When we’ve got too much to do and not enough me to do it. When life doesn’t turn out like we thought it would. Hmmm. I hear a distant grumble coming on.
Paul wrote the Thessalonians, “Give thanks in all circumstances,” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Notice the Bible doesn’t command us to feel thankful in all circumstances. Instead, it commands us to “give thanks in all circumstances.” When I begin to praise God in a difficult situation, even if I don’t feel like it, many times the scales fall from my eyes and I begin to see glimpses of His glory Click & Tweet! sprinkled on the black backdrop of the situation like diamonds on black velvet. Sometimes I don’t see glory in tragedy, but I still can praise God because I know He is there.
Gratitude changes the lens through which we see the circumstances in our little slice of time. Thanksgiving changes our perspective despite broken dreams, broken relationships, tumultuous circumstances, and unfulfilled longings.
As you praise God for who He is and thank Him for what He’s done, your perspective of Him grows larger and your problems grow smaller. As a result, you will experience a deeper sense of intimacy with God as the emotional gap between what you know to be true and how you feel at the moment closes.
On many occasions in the Psalms, David complained about his circumstances (Psalms 42, 57, 62). But more often than not, about midway through David’s laments, he begins praising God for who He is and thanking God for what He’s done.
And you know what happens? All of a sudden David starts feeling better! Life isn’t so bad after all! His problems grow smaller as his perspective of God grows larger, and he begins to see God’s glory shining through the situation.
Why is that? In the writing of one little Psalm, David shifted from depression to rejoicing.
He didn’t wait until God changed his situation, solved his problem, or made him feel better before he began thanking Him.
Oh friend, when we stop complaining and grumbling and begin speaking God’s love language of gratitude, our perspective will change as well. We will begin seeing moments of sudden glory through the lens of praise and thanksgiving—glory moments that were there all along, but hidden from the grumbling eye.
And that makes every day Thanksgiving day.
Dear Lord, I praise Your name. I exalt Your name forever. Even though I may not understand what is going on in my life, I trust that You are good and Your plans are good. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Do you believe we can change our grumpy words to grateful? Our negative words into positive? Our cutting words into healing? I know that we can. In my best-selling book, The Power of a Woman’s Words, you’ll explore the power you possess, the people you impact, and the potential for change. The answer to many of our problems is right under our noses–the words that pass our lips! Also, see the companion study guide. Over 100,000 copies sold.
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Amen to this, yes i totally agree…i was once a victim of this issue..Grumbling it affected so many people and only when Jesus becomes real in my life and look from all negatives through God’s promises and perspective that set me free..
In the past 8 months my son and my husband have admitted to being alcoholics and gone into recovery. I have had to thank god for the gifts of them hitting rock bottom and I have had to grant them mercy and forgiveness. Living with a drunk that has learned to lie , cheat and sneak is not any easy thing to do . My husband and I are high school sweethearts and have been married 41 years . We have 3 children and 5 grandkids. I have stayed in this marriage because of the kids and grandkids. Now that my husband is on the road to recovery I praying and hoping for our marriage to be stronger and happier than it has been in a very long time .
Author
Praying for them!
I am immensely grateful for your perspective Sharon. Your perspective helps me to see the God winks and glory moments for me AND for my family. What a beautiful sight for sore eyes. It leaves me wanting MORE. I’m grateful the Lord is able and is well pleased to give us the keys to the Kingdom.💕 You’re absolutely right! EVERYDAY is Thanksgiving 😀
You know, I have read that scripture ALL my life, and never thought about it that way. Giving thanks, even though you may not be feeling thankful! YES! If we “listen” to God, we understand. This has been an “aha” moment for me this day. We lost our son back in 2009. It was so hard not to be angry. It was so difficult not to blame God. I could not even bring myself to be thankful. But GOD still showed up for us, and HE still allowed us to find our way back to HIM. I am so grateful that our GOD is a mighty GOD, and that HE will always heal and make whole. Thank you Sharon!!
Praying for you and your family. Love to you always.
Trust God. He will see you through.
I got this book several months ago and it has helped me so much. I plan to read it again during this Thanksgiving week.
Blessings
Dear Sharon
Do you have a book praying for our children like the one on praying for our husband s? I could really use one.
I’ve loved the GIGs and proverbs 31 Devio s that you have written
Thank you,
Lorie
Author
No I don’t. But that is a great idea.
Stormie Omartian has many books on praying for your marriage, children, adult children, wives, grandchildren. I have many of them and pray through them. Hope this helps.
Check the author Stormie Omartian for a book like you mentioned.
Thank you Have a blessed Thanksgiving
We have to be intentional in this remembering God’s goodness no-matter-what. There are many voices and influences in our world. But listening to the voice of God is key! Being thankful is hard when we look at our circumstances.
I read that when feeling discouraged make an alphabet list ,thanking God for something that begins with the letter of the alphabet. I tried it. It works.
I thank God for Sharon Jaynes : A-for her attitude toward excellence and the way in which she allows God to use her to help the body of Christ.
God bless you Sharon.
Michelle, my prayers are with you . My husband was once a heavy drinker, but when God allowed me to see that He was in control, not me and my words, He took over. Our Son still drinks a lot, social drinking they call it. I pray for him to see what it is doing to his life and trust God will show him too. I am thankful for people like you who remind me to give thanks that God is in control
I have a list of my 5 greatest miracles. 1. I quit drinking 34 yrs ago this month after drinking very heavy for 19 yrs, 2. I accepted Jesus Christ in my life on the 30th of this month in 1990, 3. I met my wife in Sept 1992 at the age of 50 and we were married a year later, 4. I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in June 2005 and was declared cancer free in Dec 2010, 5. Along with #3 I was accepted in a wonderful blessed family who all accepted me and respect me for who I am and that includes 2 sons and a daughter all of whom are great Christians.
I have had numerous miracles since which are too numerous to mention at this time.
I am thankful for the many blessings the Lord has brought me through these COVID times.
This really hit home for me…I am so Grateful for everyday that the Lord gives me and what I have but it seems no matter how hard I try to let Jesus handle it my mind starts going back to that place of worry and I know that is nothing but the Devil trying to put doubt and disbelief in my heart. Jesus gave me another chance to serve him cause i strayed away from him for a long time and recently found my way back but I feel like I am still missing something that I am not where I need to be and that is why I have all these worries and insecurities. I want to have so much FAITH that it overflows inside of me. The holidays are coming and this will be my first year without my Momma she passed away on Christmas 2019 and it just hasn’t been the same. My siblings don’t have anything to do with me except for one because of the circumstances of my Mom’s Will and her wishes so now my family is divided but I have to continue to go on I just need encouragement and prayers to keep fighting.
Diane
I pray for you,
Heavenly Father we lift Diane’s marriage and her siblings reconciliation in your hand. Let her know that you have A plan for this., empower her when she is confused and her faith is fading.. take care of her mentally and emotionally. Lord have mercy on your child. Amen
I need much prayer. I am a Minister in my church married to my husband who happens to be the Bishop of our church as well. Many Pastors and Prophets have come to out church and confirmed and prophesied over our marriage. Might I add, I’ve known my husband since High School.
My husband is a man of integrity, faithful, and a genuine nice person. However, he is emotionally detach from me and every time I mention this to him he tries but then its never any change. I mention to him about the importance of prayer in home and he doesn’t see it but he’s on our weekly phone prayer call with the church. My problem is I feel he’s more concerned with the church and what others think of him more than myself and our teenage children.
Sharon, your words lifted my spirit after reading news stories of current events that are just bringing me down. I love how David began praising God even before his situation turned from worse to better! This alone has truly convicted me to try even harder to praise God and thank him in all things!
Day 1 Thankful for reaching the 200’s for the first time in 17 years.
Day 2 Thankful that I have been able to sleep without the CPAP for a month now.
Day 3 Thankful for Zoom so I can participate in an online Bible study.
Day 4 Thankful for answered prayer for a friend!
Day 5 Thankful for refreshing rain today.
Day 6 Thankful for a solid 7hr sleep 5am-12pm.
Day 7 Thankful for FB and all the people I get to know from all over the world.
Day 8 Thankful that Jesus is the one constant unchanging thing in my life.
Day 9 Thankful for coffee, coffee, and more coffee.
Day 10 Thankful I can nap when I need it in a safe warm home.
Day 11 Thankful for the vets to fought for my freedoms.
Day 12 Thankful for books to read.
Day 13 Thankful that I never lost power last night from our rain/wind storm
Day 14 Thankful that I am an introvert.
Day 15 Thankful for online church.
Day 16 Thankful for the gift or drawing and writing.
Day 17 Thankful for a new NSV. I no longer need a seatbelt extender!
Day 18 Thankful for 8 solid hours of sleep even if it was between 6a-2p LOL
Day 19 Thankful for the ability to talk with other writers on Zoom.
Day 20 Thankful for a free webinar online this evening.
Day 21 Thankful for my earbuds allowing me to hear videos on FB easier than without.
Day 22 Thankful for my life and the Hope and Joy I have.
Day 23 Thankful for opportunities to keep learning.
Day 24 Thankful for podcasts for writers.
Author
Awesome list!
I am thankful this day that God has given me to see. There have been many storms in my life but through them all, God has been right there carrying me through. I am so thankful for God choosing me to be one of His daughters. I am loved and He has helped and helping me to know that on a daily basis. God is Good🙌🙏❤
Thank you Lord for all that is good and most of all, all that is not so good. I know you are with me no matter what the season may bring. Have mercy on me, when I complain or grumble when life isn’t sunny and easy. I thank you for my life….the good and not so good of it. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Sharon, two things you wrote spoke to me in this message on thankfulness. First your recognition of David’s thankfulness in the Psalms and how very often he would break out into praise and thankfulness even after he had just been lamenting his fears, anxieties, anger, and frustration! So thankful that David models honesty with God and thankfulness through it all. I also loved how you said God’s love language is gratitude. I’ve never thought about this before. Yes! surely God’s love language is trust, obedience and gratitude.