The Gift That Keeps on Giving

Hello everyone!

Last week I was shopping for a short sweater.  I just couldn’t find what I was looking for.  I checked out all the racks and though there were some, not in my size or color.  I checked the clearance racks in every department and still nothing.  Then I got a sense in my spirit to look again in the juniors department clearance rack.  I knew I had looked there already, but when you get that “feeling” you just have to check it out.  I started to go to one of the racks and said, Lord, please help me to find this sweater.  No sooner than the words came out of my mouth that I looked to my left and lo and behold – the sweater – not just on the rack but facing outward right next to me!  Yes, in the exact size, color and style I was asking for!

I was so joyful and knew that the Lord had done this for me – just because of His love.  Like a parent wanting to give their child their heart’s desire, how much more does the Lord give to us.  I could imagine the pleasure on His face as He watched me find the treasure He had already picked out for me.  I was so thankful that I couldn’t stop thanking and praising Him.

I couldn’t wait to give glory to the Lord for what He had done, telling friends about His care for us.  He let me know that our testimony pleases Him for several reasons.  Not only does it show our thankfulness, it gives others faith to believe.  It also reminds and encourages us of all the Lord does for us.

Thankfulness is good for the soul.  It’s a weapon against the attacks of the enemy, for if we’re thankful, the enemy has a hard time putting fearful or anxious thoughts in our minds.  It’s like a wall of protection – a shield and armor.  The enemy runs into a brick wall when we’re thankful.

It gives us strength, for when we’re thankful, we understand and know His love for us.  Then we have joy – and God’s Word says the joy of the Lord is our strength.  That’s why His Word says to be thankful in all things and THEN make your requests known to God.  Thankfulness is needed by us – even more than the Lord needs to hear it, because thankfulness increases our faith to believe that He will answer our prayers.

So often, we are only thankful for the big things and let the little things He does for us slip by un-noticed. That’s why we feel like we’re running low on joy.  However when we give thanks. we’re filling our “joy tank”.  The car doesn’t run if we don’t put gas in the tank.  Same with us – we can’t be happy and positive without being filled with joy.

Thankfulness is more for us than for the Lord.  Instead of us thinking we’re doing something for the Lord when we give Him thanks, (there goes that pride thing again) – we should understand that thankfulness is His gift to us!  It’s like the seed that when planted, multiplies into more and more fruit.  Thankfulness multiplies so that we will see and know and receive more to be thankful  for!

It’s the gift that keeps on giving!

Blessings, Evelyn

P.S.  If you would like to read my magazine articles, go to www.innervoicemag.com and click on OUR VOICE.  Then scroll down (3 pages) to my titles, which are: The Fragrance of Fall, The Sparkle and Sound of Crystal, God’s Love Notes, Just Whistle, Listen to His Heartbeat, End of Your Rope, and Do-Overs.