Psalm 103 encourages us to be thankful for God’s special blessings. Take a look.
“Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name.
2Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and do not forget all his benefits —
3who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
4who redeems your life from the Pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5who satisfies you with good as long as you live
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
The greatest thing about God’s blessings is that they depend upon God’s promise and not on our circumstances. Day by day God’s mercy is new, and God’s grace remains constant in our lives no matter what we face.
The Apostle Paul wrote these words while he was in prison for sharing the gospel of Jesus: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your heart and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
We rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ! And we give thanks “in everything” not for everything. The beauty and power of being thankful is that it is true regardless of our experiences.
I will be the first one to say that I have not liked the last eleven months of isolation and stress; but I am thankful for God’s blessings. I encourage you too to focus on what we enjoy and have been given, not on what we miss.
Grace and peace, Pastor Joel
