Thanksgiving Works
Sometimes my thoughts and feelings are like a runaway train. Truthfully, I feel like I can’t help it. At all. But I can:
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers,
(1) whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
(2) What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you” (Phil 4:4-9, numbering added by me).
It’s a simple recipe for transforming anxious thoughts to songs of thanksgiving:
(1) Focus your thoughts on Truth and
(2) Live your life like you believe it.
This is Hearing and Doing the Word. This is not just a choice for us to make, it is our responsibility.
Thanksgiving is a Blessing and a Responsibility
Wow, that is a powerful fact. Often we really believe we can’t escape our upsetting thoughts. Our language reinforces this in the way we talk about our anger: He makes me so mad. I am so angry. I just can’t get past it! We can find people to blame or situations that trip us up…but what has happened to us has not “made” us — God made us.
At times, the anxious thoughts bombard us. We can entertain them, or we can reject them, replacing them with other thoughts. Exercising discipline over my racing mind is difficult, but that it gets easier with practice. Those thoughts and feelings as powerful, but they’re within my control:
“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Cor 10:13).
God’s Way
Choosing God’s way is dependent upon the Spirit and the Word. The Spirit uses God’s Word to renew our minds, and show us the error of our feelings (Romans 12:2). The Word is powerful, and without it, we’re ill-equipped to master our thoughts and our feelings:
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:12-13).
I guess this last part is what catches my eye: we will give an account for the thoughts and intentions of our hearts. That is an awesome consideration.
The Miracle in Front of Us
There’s a miracle in front of us. God provides us freedom from stress and anxiety by our “prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving.” Read more about the powerful spiritual discipline of praise here. When we thank the Lord for all we see in His Word, what He’s done, and His presence in our lives, we preach gospel truth to our own hearts. Jesus rescues us from our sin AND from our thought life. Jesus is pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise.
Replacing bad thoughts and feelings with gospel truth from God’s Word is a habit that leads to freedom:
“In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise – in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can man do to me?
I am under vows to you, my God; I will present my thank-offerings to you.
For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.”
Daily, we need to turn our complaints into praises. Instead of living distracted or discouraged by our feelings and thoughts, we need to practice thanksgiving. Not just at Thanksgiving. Not just when we’re struggling — how about every day? Can I get an “Amen”?
Image Copyright: bbygrlheather / 123RF Stock Photo
Amen!!