Bethlehem Blessing

Saying thank you to my favorite young person helps her to realize it is good to have gratitude. Then when I hear it coming back my way I smile.

When it involves the Lord, I have much gratitude. For he is responsible for everything. He created it all and gives it all. So, for him I say thank you all day long. I don’t care if it’s the vitamins I take, I say thank you.

And he says every good and perfect gift is from above. That means no matter who it comes from, it originates with Jesus.

Gratitude works a couple of ways. Yes, we’re giving thanks, but we also get a benefit. From feeling grateful, we avoid feeling a host of other less than wonderful things. While we’re thankful, we can’t be sad, because we have a stronger emotion taking its place in our minds. Even if we do sense some discontent, and are given a hug for example, it changes up what’s going on in the brain.

The same is true if we’re not happy about an occurrence. That’s because God works all things together for good for those who love him. And in the case of a thing causing us a negative jolting, we have to know that some good is going to come out of it. Maybe we can’t see it, or even imagine it, but some will. The way Jesus works is different than we humans do.

There have been times when I said thank you Jesus for a happening when I could not decipher anything positive following it. On a few occasions goodness arrived soon, yet on others, it took quite some time. I guess for the ones that took longer, it just wasn’t God’s time to act.

On a regular basis, I want the Lord to know that I feel gratitude for what he gives me. I figure that may make some difference when it comes to the next item or event I pray for. I know that we can’t do anything to garner blessings or grace from God, but it seems to me that he appreciates our thanks anyway.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 reads, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” ESV

Thank you for reading.

I love you,

Lisa Brown