A Spirit of Thankfulness

After some unexpected circumstances, I recently had a very long, solo road trip across the country. With many hours and the open road, I had plenty of time to think. And to be honest, thankfulness was not even close to the first thing that came to my mind as I thought about the year. For all of us in one way or another, 2020 has been an unexpected year. We can all probably name a handful of things that we wish we could forget about — sickness, unexpected job loss, political turmoil, cancelled plans, confusion, and fear to just name a few. It’s been a tough year, to put it lightly. But our God hasn’t even flinched. Before the earth was even formed, God knew what 2020 would hold. Just that thought fills me with peace. For those of us who have put our faith in Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit inside us. We can’t understand all the intricacies of the Spirit, but we know it is God dwelling in us, guiding us and interceding for us. 2020 hasn’t changed the fact that we have the power of God in us. On those days when I struggle to think of something to be thankful for, I am reminded of how amazing it is that the Spirit lives in me and wants to guide me. God knows the valleys we faced this year and the ones ahead of us in the coming weeks. He wants to comfort us when we’re scared and guide us when we’re lost. And for that I have to be thankful.

Dear Father, this has been a really tough year, and there are times when I don’t want to find anything to be thankful about. Remind us of your goodness and faithfulness, and thank you for never abandoning us. Help us to have a spirit of thanksgiving this week.

  For some of us, being thankful is easy. God brought new life into our families, we found a new job, or we had more quality time with the people we love. Yet, for those of us that had a year filled with one disappointment after another, thankfulness can still be the position of our hearts. With the power of the Holy Spirit inside us, we can remember God has not forsaken us. Even when it feels like the valleys can’t get any lower, we can rejoice in God’s promise to deeply love His children. “The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” Psalm 28:7 This week, I challenge you to join me in taking part in this old Sunday School activity. Write down a list of things you are thankful for during this year in particular. Then ask God to give you a spirit of thankfulness for the rest of the year.