TITLE: GIVE THANKS By Jide Oboise 10/03/08 |
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It is often the natural thing to do when calamities befall a person or sickness and disease bombard a home to react negatively by looking for the scape-goat to blame or persecute.
It is easier to complain and blame someone else when the going gets rough, it takes an exceptional state of mind to instinctively give thanks.
When we give thanks in a good and even in a bad situation, it is because we are grateful for a favor or good-deed that was done to us or we suddenly realise how ungrateful and unappreciative we have been.
Feelings of thanksgiving overwhelm at this time of reflections,this is the human conscience at work.
God's spirit inside man is triggered to discern when something undeserved has been given:
Why has He chosen to set you apart for such a gift or benefit?
It is because He is love and He gives as His nature demands.
The word of God enjoins us to give thanks ALWAYS!
Is it possible to give thanks when pain, sorrow, disease and sickness come?
Is it easy to give thanks in situations that bring destruction and peril or can one be grateful soon after a calamity hits.
How can one give thanks in times of persecution and betrayal?
When everything seems to be falling apart without end.
The Bible enjoins us to give thanks in every situation, in every circumstance.
The story of the three Hebrew boys is a wonderful analogy of total trust and dependence on God to take charge and solve a problem and even when IT SEEMS that He does not,(The King's fiery furnace!) they still made up their minds to believe He knew best.
This is a perfect example that teaches us that we can only depend on the most High for everything, even in thanksgiving.
I was sharing time recently in conversation with someone who has a chronic illness, during the course of our conversation I realized that this person has stored-up bitterness of; Why me!....
....Feelings of envy and jelousy storm the my heart whenever I see other people who are hale and hearty as I go out and interract or when am just taking a stroll, i hate them for being healthy!
I was taken aback by this statement and outburst that came from such a sick person who was believing the Lord for a miraculous healing,but I was also appreciative of the honesty of this person that I immediately replied and pointed out God's love and favor even in the trying time and how His strength alone can guide one through in such a situation by learning to lean on Him and have total trust but most importantly to keep a positive atmosphere by being happy for those who are not in any form of ill-health instead of hating them for it, because this could block the blessing channel from a free flow and deter a possible miracle.
As hard as this may sound it is His strength that we need to lift us to this level when it is not so easy to say THANK YOU!
A somewhat simple prayer-song comes to mind:
SOME HAVE FOOD BUT CAN NOT EAT
SOME CAN EAT BUT THEY HAVE NO FOOD
WE HAVE FOOD AND WE CAN EAT
GLORY BE TO THEE O LORD
This sums up the story of humanity from person to person, nation to nation, continent to continent.
What you take for granted and assumes should always be or is an essential for life, is missing in another person's life and has never been experienced by them.
Even for the person who is terminally ill and has good medical attention or is in a home and has some government assistance financially or a wealthy family to cater for him, give thanks!
Some other people elsewhere in the world, lie around in unkept and unsanitary circumstances with little or no food not to talk of Medicare or medication to ease pain, they just lie down in what they call a home, being attended to by friends and family (that's if they are fortunate to have such around) who hold their hands and continually sympathize with them while they just painfully wait for death.
So, whatever that situation just RISE up and give thanks!
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