PERSEVERE WITH THANKFULNESS

PERSEVERE WITH THANKFULNESS

Text: Psalm 116:12-14
Memory verse:
“in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
‭‭I Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭18‬

I once read the story of a blind boy who sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet, holding a sign which read, “I am blind, please help.” Only a few coins in the hat, from spare change that passersby dropped.
Then, another man who was walking by dropped few coins from his pocket and took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back in the boy’s hand so that everyone who walked by would see the new words. Soon the hat began to fill up as more people were giving to the blind boy.
That afternoon, the man who had changed the sign returned to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, “Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?”
The man said, “I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way.” He wrote: “Today is a beautiful day and I cannot see it.”
The blind man only saw blindness but this passerby saw the goodness of God beyond the blindness. Yes, God wants you to magnify the good things you have rather than the things you don’t have. Most people fail in this area. We complain of what we don’t have, but rarely thank God for what we have. This attitude often weakens the soul in the place of prayer. Thus, because David knew what such attitude could do, he called his soul to remember God’s benefits and be thankful. “O my soul, bless God, don’t forget a single blessing” (Psa 103:2 MSG).
Thankfulness is an important ingredient of prayer. Like the cover is to a well so is thankfulness to prayer. It opens up the well of prayer. Both feed each other. Prayer generates thankfulness, while thankfulness strengthens prayer. “Don’t be weary in prayer; keep at it; watch for God’s answers, and remember to be thankful when they come.” (Col 4:2 TLB). Prayer turns to complain before God when thankfulness is removed from it. And complains attract God’s rebuke while thankfulness attract God’s reward.
Friends, always see the goodness of God in the midst of your challenges and remember to give thanks for every answer to your prayer, then you will have more strength to persevere in the place of prayer.

Prayer points
1. Father, please, forgive me for my attitude of ingratitude and help me to always be thankful for everything in Jesus name.
2. Father, please, help me to turn my eyes on the things I have rather than the things I don’t have in Jesus name.

Today’s declarations
1. The attitude of gratitude helps me to persevere in the place of prayer rather than fainting.
2. To avoid getting weary in prayer, I watch for God’s answers, and I remember to be thankful when they come.

Contact: pastor@thf.org.ng