A Thankful Heart – Azusa StreetRiders International

A thankful heart goes a long way with most people. Nothing quite like it when you are a blessing to someone and they respond with a sincere expression of thankfulness. For example many of us have experienced perhaps a Birthday or Christmas when an unexpected gift is given to a child and the reaction is such that it brings joy to our hearts that our efforts are rewarded in an expression of thankfulness. At the same time all of us have probably experienced when we have gone out of our way to do what we thought was something nice for someone when yet that individual response might’ve been ho-hum or perhaps not even acknowledge. This can be very disheartening and discouraging. Regardless if it’s family, friends, coworker or even someone we’ve never met, passing on the street. A lack of thankfulness is hard to accept regardless who it’s from.

The funny thing is the Lord is somewhat the same way, throughout our day the Lord drops little blessings upon us. We can be in those times not sensitive to what’s going on around us. Perhaps because we’re busy or God forbid we might write that off as our good fortune, being in the right place at the right time but the Bible says: Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the father of lights with home is no varied in this neither shadow of turning. James 11:7 (KJV)

If the scripture is true, which it is, that tells me as a Child of God the good things that come our way, those little blessings throughout the day, are not by chance but they are either one of two things. A direct blessing from our Lord or allowing our circumstance to be a blessing onto us. These blessings can come in many shapes and sizes something as trivial perhaps as pulling into a crowed parking lot and finding a spot at the front entrance.

Maybe opening the mail and receiving a refund check for something that you weren’t even expecting and don’t quite understand how it all happen. Some people might construe this as just being fortunate or lucky however as a child of God we need to recognize from whence our blessings come as James wrote in James 11:7 and we need to be thankful.

Not only that, you see it’s easy to be thankful for the big blessings the Lord brings our way however we need to be mindful of the little things, the day in and day blessing that we receive. Those that if were not to careful go by us unnoticed and unacknowledged. You see if were thankful for the little blessings it can set the stage for the Lord to do more. He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. Luke 16:10

So some might ask “So should I thank God every time something good happens in my life regardless of the circumstance. The answer is YES. Go as far as to ask yourself, why shouldn’t I ? Psalms 105:10 states “give thanks unto the Lord call upon his name make known his deeds among the people” (KJV) Perhaps stopping and taking a moment to be thankful to the Lord for allowing you to be blessed might be an opportunity to be a witness to someone who doesn’t know the Lord. Remember a Thankful Heart goes a long way.

In addition we cannot even enter into his presence without a thankful heart Psalms 100:4 states “enter into his gates with Thanksgiving and into his courts with praise be thankful on him and bless his name” That let’s me know that in order to gain access into that inter circle we should have a thankful heart gets us the introduction than praise gets us a seat at the table.

The Lord laid all this on my heart a couple of weeks ago this simple thought: Be thankful for the little things that come our way. If we are diligent to look for it the Lord will not only show us but will increase our awareness. In doing to we set the stage to draw closer to the Lord and who would not want to do that ? My prayer is that this article is received as the Lord has expressed it to me.

God Bless you all and God Bless America