Overflowing Thankfullness

I love holidays…all holidays. Holidays equal celebrations for me. And if I’m anything, I’m a party girl. I love to host parties. I love to create celebrations. Therefore, I love holidays! If you were to follow me on Pinterest, you would find that my largest board is for Entertaining/Food Art.

A favorite holiday is Thanksgiving, for several reasons, but I think it is a great reminder of how we, as Christians, should be living daily. With thankful hearts.

I was awakened in the middle of the night to rain. Big rain drops falling on the roof. It was a refreshing. But it was also a reason to be thankful. I thanked God in that moment. And I prayed that the rain was falling on the fires in the mountains.

Last week I was driving the grandkids home. On a stretch of highway, a vehicle decided to return to the highway. The problem was that he wanted to be where I was. I couldn’t move over. I blew my horn. He saw my vehicle. Instead of stopping, he continued driving, but he stayed off the road until I could get around him. I thanked God in that moment.

On many occasions, I wake early in the morning and know my blog post for the day hasn’t been written. I lie awake in bed wondering what the topic should or might be. Then suddenly, an idea begins to formulate. Concepts form into words. A blog post is being written within the confines of my brain. I thank God in those moments.

Thankful. Yes I was thankful in these moments, but am I thankful all the time? Do I live a thankful life? I don’t think so. I believe I’m better than I was, but I still have work to do.

There are three verses in Scripture that mention thankfulness in a way that intrigues me. They mention being more than thankful. They talk about overflowing with thankfulness.

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” (Colossians 2:6-7 – NIV)

“All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:15 – NIV)

“This service that you perform is not only supply the need of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.” (2 Corinthians 9:12 – NIV)

I may be thankful, but I don’t “overflow in many expressions of thanks to God.” How sad is that? God calls us to be thankful. God desires that our hearts be softened to thanksgiving. And it is for our own good.

When our hearts are geared toward thanksgiving, life is fulfilling. Life is satisfying. Life is good. But it is only good when God is smack dab in the middle of it all.

What if you don’t feel like you are overflowing with thanksgiving? “What is wrong with me?” you might ask. Maybe this verse will open your eyes to an issue.

“But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.” (Ephesians 5:3-4 – NIV)

If there is evidence of any of these sins in your life, it will hinder thanksgiving. Sin separates us from God and keeps our minds from dwelling upon Him. Under those circumstances, we cannot imagine thanking God for anything.

When our minds go immediately to thanking God in all situations, we are on the path to living a life with thankful hearts, overflowing with thanksgiving. I can’t say that I thank God in each situation, but I know when I should express my gratitude. I am working on this one.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna