The Power of Being Thankful: 365 Devotions for Discovering the Strength of Gratitude (28 page)

In every aspect of life, Jesus is our example—and Jesus always displayed emotional stability. The Bible actually refers to Him as “the Rock,” and we can depend on Him to be solid, steady, and stable—the same—all the time. He’s always faithful, loyal, mature, and true to His Word.

Jesus is not in one kind of mood one day and in another mood the next day. Thankfully, we can count on Him to be the same today as He was yesterday and the same tomorrow as He is today. Being able to depend on Jesus’ stability and consistency is part of what makes a relationship with Him seem attractive to us. If we’ll learn to be grateful for the example Jesus set, and follow His lead, we will be able to learn to be stable and enjoy life more.

I am grateful, Father, that I don’t have to be ruled by my emotions. Thank You for the example of Jesus. Help me to be steady and solid no matter what is going on around me. Help me to be more like Jesus.

As we go through this life, each of us is called to have an individual walk with God. Thankfully, God gives us the direction we need, showing us the way to go, and with His help we follow Him.

A walk with God takes place through one step of obedience at a time. Some people want the entire blueprint for their life before they will make one decision, but God does not usually operate that way; He leads us day by day. Not knowing everything the future holds requires us to live by faith, and that is what God desires.

By faith, we take each step God has shown us, and then He gives us the next one. At times we may fall down, but we can be grateful that God helps us get back up. We continue on by His strength and His grace, knowing that every time we need to make a decision, God will guide us because we have a personal relationship with Him.

I thank You today, Father, that You are guiding me one step at a time. I trust Your direction for my life. I thank You that Your plan for me is good and You will never lead me astray.

Most of the things we devote our time and energy to are things that are currently passing away, things that will not last. We strive to make money, build businesses, achieve great accomplishments, be popular, own buildings, cars, and jewelry. We want to expand our minds and see the world, yet all of these things are temporal. They will all come to an end.

Only love never comes to an end. An act of love goes on and endures forever.

Thankfully, God allows us to have a lasting impact when He asks us to love others. Henry Drummond says that “to love abundantly is to live abundantly, and to love forever is to live forever.” In order to “love abundantly” and “love forever,” I encourage you to first receive God’s love for you… then you can walk in love toward everyone else.

Father, I am grateful that I can live my life in such a way as to have a lasting impact. Thank You for the power of love. Help me exercise that power and make an eternal impact by showing love to those around me today. Help me to always know what is truly important.

We were created to live in the love and enjoyment of harmonious relationships, free from dissension, confusion, and emotional trauma. God wants our lives to be free from division; He wants us to live in peace with each other; yet such a life often eludes many people. Instead, conflict wreaks havoc in their lives, leaving them wounded and alienated from one another.

But we can be thankful that Jesus gives us His peace. We don’t have to live with broken, conflict-filled relationships. We can “hold our peace” in every situation. Psalm 34:14 says we can “crave peace and pursue it” and Matthew 5:9 says we can be “makers and maintainers of peace.” As we remain peaceful, God works in our behalf.

Don’t let relationship problems plague your life any longer. Determine to end the strife and do all that you can to pursue peace. If you decide to be a peacemaker, you’ll be surprised what a difference it will make.

Father, help me to be a peacemaker in my relationships. I thank You that I no longer waste my time on petty arguments and foolish strife. As far as it depends on me, and with Your help, I am going to have peaceful, harmonious relationships.

While negative thoughts, words, emotions, and relationships can cause stress—and stress can cause sickness—positive thoughts, words, emotions, and relationships can bring health and healing. Consider the following Scriptures:

We can be thankful for the power of God’s Word in our lives. Meditating on Scripture and following God’s instruction will cause us to think, speak, and live in a way that brings healing to every part of our lives.

Father, I thank You for Your Word and the healing it brings to my life. I am grateful that my thoughts, words, emotions, and relationships are all changed by the guidance You give me through Scripture.