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Do you give thanks for all things? Or are you like most of us—more apt to worry and fret over health, bills, children, etc. very seldom ever finding place to give thanks? In this world we work ourselves into a tizzy trying to figure out how to make ends meet. How are we going to cope? When will they ever listen to us? Will I ever be on top of things, or will I always be at the bottom? Does this sound familiar to you? Have you said these things or things similar to them? Have you heard others speaking this way? Be honest now, I’ve said things like that, and I’ve heard and hear others speaking that way. Sometimes though, it takes letting go and letting God do the fretting over our bills, rent, children, health, job, etc. and sure enough one day there they all are, bills paid, rent paid, children living for God, cancer healed, job improved and a smile on your face—why? Because you let go and gave thanks!
Letting go though and giving thanks is one of the most difficult things for us to do. We continually feel like we need to be in control and if we are not in control then it won't work right, but if we would look at how much it doesn't work when we are in control we would quickly give control to God. God desires for us to tell Him the answer you desire. Whatever it is that you desire or want tell God what it is. Don’t tell Him the problem. He already knows what the problem is, so give Him the answer you desire and then step out of the way and leave it there with Him. CAST IT over on HIM and don't pick it back up. It's when we pick it back up that God has to start all over. We pick it up and say, “God, this is what I want and it's been two weeks now and I need it on this day, please, please, give it to me.” And in the mean time God is up there saying, “my child I was just ready to give it to you and then you stopped me and told me that you didn't believe that I heard you the first time you asked. When you ask me over and over again I feel like you didn't believe that I was going to give to you what you wanted or needed. Every time that you ask Me again and again for the same things, it tells Me that you don't believe that I heard you the first time. But I did, I heard you the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth times.” And God is saying to you right now, “All you need to do is say it once and I'll not ever forget it, and I will answer it for you before you need it if you will just believe that I will do it. But every time you pick it back up, you stop believing that I am going to help you. Leaving it with Me means just that, leave it there and don't come after it again, if you feel you need to say or do something, then every time you want to pray or ask Me again for the same thing, Praise Me and thank Me instead because your praise and thanks to Me tells Me that You believe that I heard you the first time and now you are praising Me and thanking Me for something you have not yet received and it is building your faith in ME.” Giving thanks!
This is so very important, yet so very difficult for so many of us to do, even I have problems with letting God have control sometimes. There are times when I pick it back up and have to say, "oops, sorry Father, forgive me for not trusting in You fully. I give this back to You and leave it with You, thank You for hearing me and answering me. I believe I receive right now in Jesus name. Praise You Father, I love You Father God, Praise You." Let Go and let God have His Way in your life. Give Thanks!
Friends we limit God so often when we continually ask Him over and over again for the same thing. We limit God when we go from one person to the next asking them to pray for the same thing over and over again. When we do this we are basically telling God, “Hey, I’m not sure that you heard me the first time, so I’m going to keep on asking until I receive it.” NO! This limits God—Just tell Him what you want and then thank Him for it and wait patiently giving thanks always and it will be yours in the Name of Jesus because He said it would. We just need to sit back thank Him and wait.
How do you see things in your world? Do you see the cup half empty or half full? I heard a rather interesting story the other day and I would like to share it with. This is a very interesting way to look at things and I will recall it the best I can:
“One day a father and his rich family took their young son on a trip to the country in hopes of showing him how poor people live. They spent a day and a night in the farm of a very poor family. When they got back from their trip the father asked his son,
"How was the trip?"
"Very good, Dad!"
"Did you see how poor people can be?" the father asked.
"Yeah!"
“And what did you learn?” asked the father.
The son answered, “I saw that we have a dog at home, and they have four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of the garden, they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lamps in the garden, they have the stars. Our patio reaches to the front yard, they have a whole horizon.”
As the little boy continued with his description of what he saw his father stood speechless. And as the son stopped talking, he quickly added one more thing,
“Oh by the way, thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are!””
Isn't it true that it all depends on the way you look at things? If you have love, friends, family, health, good humor and a positive attitude towards life—you've got everything! You can't buy any of these things but God can give everyone of them to you. You can have all the material possessions you can imagine, provisions for the future, etc., but if you are poor of spirit, and do not have God, then you have nothing! If you never give thanks for what you have you will never have anything.
God will cause you to have riches that go beyond the perception of the natural eye. God will cause you to always look at the cup as half full instead of half empty. God will always cause you to see your life full of joy, riches and full of love. Begin to see through the eyes of God begin giving thanks!
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