June 20th, 2020: Why Giving Thanks?

 Giving Thanks!

I don't think I remember my dreams as much as some other people do. Sometimes I am amazed by how my wife can share with me many of her dreams in great detail. However, I dream during the day, and I take notes of them often. Sometimes those dreams reveal to me unspoken truth about God, life, and all God's messages for me personally. Most of what I have heard lately is about thanksgiving. It is rather interesting because we are going through one of the most tumultuous times in our history. We are facing many questions concerning the well-being and the future of our nations, and we do not have any strong leadership with clear answers. And yet, I am being told to be thankful.

It might be appropriate to ask why we need to give thanks then.

We can regain perspectives when we have a thankful heart. Life can be very dark and hopeless if we are so preoccupied with the problems we are facing. They tend to multiply by themselves, and we are overwhelmed. Sometimes I have to be intentional about changing the direction of the conversation I have with a client when he (she) is going down that route. Thankfulness grants us a chance to reset so that we might have the courage to move forward.

We can regain the needed balance so that we are protected emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Hopelessness might kill our hearts if we are not careful. It is healthy to let God have a voice when we are going through this kind of time in life. Other voices tend to repeat themselves and escalate the aspect of the misery of life. Having a balance is to have the willingness to go through our earthy life with the knowledge that God is not indifferent toward what we are experiencing.

We can be at peace about the fact that we are not in control. Giving thanks is a surrendering act to God. That is the moment when we can find rest for the body, our heart, our mind, and our soul. We are having a glimpse of what it means to be in tune with God. The Bible refers to it as "the peace that passes all understanding." That is the peace which will massage our heart back into shape.

Psalm 100: 4-5
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;
    give thanks to him and praise his name.
 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
    his faithfulness continues through all generations.

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