Thankful

A couple of weeks ago our pastor preached a sermon on reviving thanksgiving in our lives. It reminded me of a time in my life when choosing thanksgiving saved me from hopelessness and renewed my strength.

It was a cold winter evening. I was living in my car fulfilling a type, a homeless veteran. The car was getting cold so I turned on the engine and heater. The radio was on to a Christian station. Over the speaker I heard, “Be thankful. Give God your thanksgiving.”

My first response was, “easy for you to say.” I sensed I should do it. Well I was not feeling on top of the world so when I thought of things to be grateful for I started pretty basic.

Thank you that I am alive. Thank you that I am living in a car not a cardboard box. Thank you for this place I can park without hassle. Thank you for enough food for today. Thank you for all this warm air I am feeling now. Thank you for a good coat and a blanket. My thanks shifted.

Thank you for my salvation. Thank you for my family and friends. Thank you for those good memories of my past/ Thank you for your presence. Thank you for eternal life. Thank you for heaven, As I gave thanks things changed.

I started to sense God. there with me. It should not have surprised me, Scripture says God inhabits the praises of His people. I wrote down what I was thankful for and before I knew it I had a page and a half of paper covered with things for which I was thankful. That night was a turning point for me.

I realized that whatever my problems there were always many things for which

to be thankful. So I did not fall into hopelessness but began a new chapter of my life…a chapter of thanksgiving. I prayed that I would never lose that spirit of thanksgiving and I have not

God inhabits the praises of His people, not the complaints of His people. Try it. The next time you want to complain, praise. Be thankful He has been so good to us.