The Power of Being Thankful: 365 Devotions for Discovering the Strength of Gratitude (45 page)

Your future has no room for your past, and I encourage you not to get stuck in a moment or a time frame in your life that is over. Millions of people miss today because they either refuse to let go of the past or they worry about the future. Things in life like abuse and pain—things that happened to me and to millions of others—are unfortunate to say the least. Such abuses are traumatic and they do affect us, but we can recover.

God is a Redeemer and a Restorer—that’s something we can be thankful for every day. He promises to restore our souls. There is a beautiful hope in knowing that if we invite Him in and cooperate with His healing process, God will restore us and give us a lifetime of new, joy-filled, divine moments with Him.

Father, I thank You that I never have to live stuck in the past. You are a Redeemer and a Restorer, and You want to bring healing in my life. Thank You that my past is over and I have a beautiful future to look forward to.

If someone had an angry father, it is quite natural to view Father God as angry too. Hopefully you are one of the blessed ones who had an awesome earthly dad, but for many, that is not the case.

Children who grow up with angry, absent, or abusive fathers often don’t feel safe. They have a feeling of impending doom or danger hanging over them most of the time. But, thank God, your heavenly Father is different from earthly fathers. If your father was absent, you need to know that God will never leave you. If your father was abusive or angry, your heavenly Father wants to give you a double reward for your former trouble (see Isaiah 61:7).

No matter how unfaithful your father may have been to you, I urge you not to let it ruin your life. Make a decision to believe the truth that your heavenly Father is faithful and loves you dearly.

Father, I thank You that I can look to You to be the parent I never had. Help me to forgive the injustices I endured as a child, and help me to move on to a new, happy, and peaceful life with You. I am grateful that You are a perfect heavenly Father.

One of the best things you can do for someone is encourage them and build them up. Say something positive to the people around you about who they are or how much you appreciate them. Or tell them how much God loves them and wants to bless them. Encouragement is powerful. It makes people feel better in every way.

I remember one time when I got a text message from my youngest son. All it said was, “I love you, Mommy!” At that moment, I literally felt refreshed by his words. They gave me the extra dose of strength I needed that day.

Think about the people you’re going to be around today. Be thankful that they are in your life, and ask God to help you speak encouraging words to them. You might be surprised at what a difference it will make, not only for them, but for you too.

Father, as I am going through my day, I pray that You will show me ways I can encourage and build people up. Thank You for the opportunities You give me to make a difference in the lives of others. I want to seize my opportunities today.

Rather than focus on negative things in life, the Bible teaches us to see good things in Christ with the “eyes of your heart.” Ephesians 1:17–19 says that the Spirit of wisdom and revelation are important so we may:

Give thanks today that you can know God, have hope, and live in His power!

I thank You, Father, that You have given me hope in Christ Jesus. Today, I will focus on the good things in my life and listen for Your voice. Thank You that You lead and guide me in the wisdom and revelation of Your Word and Your Holy Spirit.

Many times, we think of needs in terms of the basic necessities of life—food, shelter, clothing, and finances to purchase these things. These represent our physical needs, but God created us to need more than this. Our needs are varied.

We don’t simply need money, nourishment, a roof over our heads, and clothes to wear. We also need wisdom, strength, health, friends, and loved ones; and we need the gifts and talents and abilities to help us do what we are supposed to do in life. We need many things, and thankfully, God is willing to meet
all
of our needs as we obey and trust Him. We must believe that He wants to provide for us and then develop an attitude of thanksgiving for what He has done and is doing.

Father, I thank You today for the gift of Your provision. You don’t just meet some of my needs, You meet all of my needs. Thank You for Your complete and total provision that carries me through every day of my life.