It is Good to Give Thanks to the Lord

It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High, to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night. Psalm 92:1-2

I recently spent an evening with a group of people who nearly sucked the life out of me! It started off well enough, but went downhill when a couple of people began complaining about their jobs. It went from, "Wow, I hate the cold weather!" all the way to, "I HATE my boss; if I could run him over with my car I would!" The intensity of the discontent continued and widened until I finally excused myself for the evening.

As I drove home I felt nearly overwhelming frustration and despair, feeling the weight of the evening's negativity. Then I began to think about all the smaller, less obvious ways that I complain about aspects of my life -- it wasn't pretty. The alarm goes off and I think, "Ugh. Is it time to get up already?" On Monday mornings I often think, "Wow, five entire days until a day off!" When my child calls, full of frustration over the complexities of a new job, I've thought, "I dont have time for this right now!" And when God says, "I have something I'd like you to do for me." I sometimes think, "Now!? Ive got 15 other things to do before I can rest!"

There in the car, with my own ugliness fresh in my mind, I heard the words of Psalm 92 telling me that it's better to thank the Lord for everything and anything! It's better to praise Him! It's better to talk about His love and faithfulness -- even to ourselves. It's better, because it helps us refocus our hearts on what is true, what honors Him, what blesses Him ... and it changes our outlook. We simply cannot gaze at the True and Living God and complain -- we just can't! He is far too magnificent ... too glorious.

By the time I reached home, I no longer felt drained. I felt joyful, hopeful and so thankful for the truth that no matter what any of us faces, we can always find something to thank God for, to praise Him for and when we do, He is blessed and we find joy!

Dear Father, Thank you for the fact that you are real, you are kind, you are loving and you care about every detail of each life. Thank you for never leaving us to ourselves and for always holding us close, no matter what our circumstance. In the mighty Name of Jesus, Amen.

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