“But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me…” Psalm 50:23
Hey Girls!
Can you believe that its almost Thanksgiving? The year 2020 is almost over. So many changes, and setbacks have occurred during this season of Covid. It’s been a learning curve for me personally. I don’t know about you and your heart, but my heart can turn quickly towards complaining during times of difficulty or when I don’t get my way. I’m not even aware of my grumbling most of the time. But my better half is quick to let me know. It’s my natural default and this doesn’t bring honor to the Lord.
In our women’s Bible study this season, we’ve been following the children of Israel’s journey from their bondage in Egypt to the promised land. I know that I’m just like them! But still, I’m amazed at their response to God’s provision. It’s easy to see the faults and weaknesses in other people’s stories. It’s much harder to see when its staring you right in your own face. How can they be so forgetful? Why don’t they choose to remember? They saw the mighty hand of God as they crossed the Red Sea on dry land. You would think that would be all the proof they’d need to believe God for the journey ahead and any other difficulty they might encounter along the way.
Over and over throughout their journey, we find the children of Israel complaining and grumbling about the food and water. Although God graciously provided manna from heaven, they soon grew tired of it and complained they had no meat. Isn’t that just like human nature in all of us? When we don’t get what we want our tendency is to complain. Here’s a funny story to help us see the need to change our perspective and be thankful:
A certain disagreeable gentleman ate his breakfast in the same diner, day after day, year after year. The waitresses did their best to serve him, but he always complained about something: The eggs were overcooked or undercooked; the toast was too light or too dark; the coffee was too strong or too weak. No breakfast was ever quite right. So, one waitress, determined to please him, took extra-special care to make sure everything was perfect. His coffee was right on time and just right. His juice was exactly the right temperature and had just enough pulp. He ordered two eggs, one scrambled and one over easy. When she set the plate before him, he shook his head in disgust. What could be the problem? she wondered. “Is everything to your liking?” she asked. “Are the eggs okay?” “No,” he complained. “You scrambled the wrong one.” J
What’s your attitude when things don’t go the way you’ve planned? Did you know that in times like that you can choose to make thankfulness your sacrifice to God? You can choose to ‘lay down’ and sacrifice your negative attitude, your disappointment, your fears, your doubts, and your why me questions to God. Having a thankful attitude, can be offered as a spiritual sacrifice to God. It’s a ‘thank offering’ that pleases His heart when it’s done from the heart with the right kind of attitude.
God bless you, Karen