“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NLT
“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,” ~ 1 Peter 1:6-7, NKJV
“Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.” ~ Romans 8:26-28, MSG
“The Lord is my strength and shield.
I trust Him with all my heart.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.
I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.” ~ Psalm 28:7, NLT
Help Me Cultivate a Thankful Heart, Lord
Lord, You alone deserve all glory, honor, and praise, for there is no one else like You. You are the Living God, Maker of heaven and earth, and yet You know my name. You know my anxious thoughts, and You know when I grow weary from the challenges of life. I come to You with a thankful heart, even though life is so very hard right now.
You have taught me that living with a thankful heart allows me to abide with You. Praise ushers in Your presence. Thankfulness opens my eyes to see You drawing near, and I realize I am not alone. I remember that You are El Roi, the God-Who-Sees-Me, and knows all about it. The comfort this brings me is surreal, Lord. It’s mind-boggling to think that You care this much for me, and yet, I know it’s true. I have experienced the gentle touch of Your hand offering me reassurance in the difficult place.
Even though the trials of life are severe, You remain faithful.
Thank goodness for that!
I know the trials have a purpose. My faith is proven to be more precious than gold. Trials produce endurance and character, and hope. The difficult places teach me who You are to me, and who I am to You. Therefore, if I make myself sit still and remember, I can be thankful.
Because I trust You.
But quite often I fail. I murmur and complain, I work myself into a tizzy. Why? Because I take my eyes off You and focus on my circumstances, and overwhelm comes knocking at my door … and of course, I open it. Please forgive me, Lord. Make me steadfast as I cling to Your promises. Make me a living testimony of Your goodness and grace as my thankful heart allows Your light to shine in my darkness.
Your love has never failed me
Thank you for caring for me so beautifully. If I praise You from the rising of the sun until the setting of the same, it would not be enough, Lord. You are truly worthy of all praise. I choose to trust You, even when I can’t see Your hand or understand what’s happening. I choose to be thankful for Your love has never failed me.
May my life be a sweet aroma to You. May my thankful heart bring You pleasure and glorify Your holy Name.
In the Name of Jesus, I pray,
Amen ~ let it be so
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Please don’t carry your burdens alone. I would be honored to pray for you. You may contact me directly at nan@nanjones.com
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Thank you so much for stopping by. I would love for you to share what’s on your heart in the comments below. Scroll a little farther down and you’ll see where you can leave your comments. Together, we can find the nearness of God in our darkest moments.
Sweet blessings to you,
