Thankful Relationships - 2 Thessalonians 1:3

2 Thessalonians 1:3 English Standard Version

We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.

Relationships are so important in our lives. God wants us to have relationships with others, not just with Himself. In the second letter from Paul to the Thessalonians, Paul is encouraging us to give thanks to God for our relationships, and to know that those relationships are a blessing in our lives.

There are so many relationships to be thankful for. With Thanksgiving just two days away I have begun thinking about all of the people I am thankful for in my life. My friends, my sister, my parents, my boyfriend, my co-workers, and yes, even my teachers. I have so many people to be thankful for, but I also need to be thankful for their relationship with Christ. I cannot be selfish. I cannot only be thankful that these people love me and encourage me. I must be thankful that they have a relationship with Christ, and I must be thankful that that the help me with my relationship with Christ.

In this letter, Paul reminds us that our love for one another is, and should always be growing. Since our love for one another is always growing we must be thankful for that opportunity. I also remind myself that the people in my life are not only here to make me happy, but also to bring me closer to God (even if they do not know that they are doing it).

I am so thankful for my family and what they have done for me. My parents have sacrificed so much for my siblings and I, and I could never thank them enough. My parents have raised me Catholic, and even though I went to a Christian school my whole life it was not until high school when I really started to get into my faith and they were so supportive, and never pushy. If they hadn’t supported all of my crazy trips and conferences my life would not be the same.

My sister and my best friend are two huge blessings in my life. Without these two women I would be absolutely insane. My best friend and I have been side by side since kindergarten, and since then we have helped each other through thick and thin. Even though she may not know it, she has truly strengthened my relationship with God through her love and gentleness. My sister is a complete work of art. God did something so different with her than he did with me, and I am so thankful for my sister because of her wit and her abilities. I think of us as Jane and Lizzy Bennet from Pride and Prejudice because of our relationship. My sister has strengthened my relationship with God through her own actions. She has put so much faith into God that I took her as an example, even though I am older.

I am also so thankful for my boyfriend and friends. My friends, even though they do not know it, help strengthen my relationship with God because of all the negativity that they hold inside them. (I promise not all of my friends are like this.) Some of my friends really help me realize my blessings, and show me that I have to be thankful for what God has given me. Even though my friends do not intentionally help my relationship with God, I still have to be thankful for them and for all they do. My boyfriend is such a joy in my life. He motivates me, and supports me more than anyone I have ever known. His own relationship with Christ has taught me so much about my faith. He is such a wonderful Catholic gentleman (I don’t know how I got so lucky), and his love for others (and me of course) has shown me how wonderful and loving God is. I thank God everyday for him, but I also thank God for the opportunity that we have been given: to grow closer to each other with His guidance, and that together, as one, we can help bring others to Christ.

All of these relationships have helped me grow closer to God, and for that I have to thank God with so much praise! We all have to be thankful for the relationships we have, and even the ones that may not seem beneficial at first. Our love for one another is always growing, and with God's help that love can continue to grow and help others.

Thought Questions:

How can we express our thankfulness to everyone this coming holiday?

How can each of our relationships help us grow closer to Christ?

What is one way I can step out of my way and help others this holiday season?

In All Circumstances - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 English Standard Version

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

I feel as though this verse is extremely important today. There are so many people angry and hurt in our country right now. This election has brought out the best and worst of people, but now that the race is over we need to stop and prayer for our future leader and for this nation as a whole.

In Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians he teaches us to rejoice always. In all circumstances, including this election, we have reasons to rejoice. The people who ‘won’ can rejoice because they got what they wanted. The people who ‘lost’ may not rejoice over that, but as a nation, together we can rejoice in our continuation as one. We can (and we need to) rejoice together because we are a nation that stands together. At the end of the day we are all still Americans and we can all still make a difference. We must rejoice in our freedom to choose, and now rejoice that we came together to choose one person.

Now that we have chosen our future president, we must pray for him. Paul tells us to pray without ceasing, and by continuously praying we can hope that our future president will follow God’s path for him. Last night, on my three hour drive home from voting, I prayed continuously that God’s will would rule this election and that the chosen person would make the right decision. Today, I continue to pray that God’s will is clear in Donald Trump’s mind.

We must give thanks for what we have all been able to do. As an American citizen, it is our duty and our right to vote. Yesterday was not only important for two candidates, but important for hundreds of other people running for other federal and state positions. We must thank God for giving us this opportunity to vote for what we believe in! Last night I got the chance to save the education system in my local county from someone who has been bullying the system for years. Being able to vote in this nation is a blessing. Even if we do not ‘win’ we should practice our rights because it is our voice that is finally speaking and making a choice.

I pray that these next four years our prospering for all American citizens. No matter what, we must rely on God and his guidance for our whole government, not just the president!

Thought Questions:

How can you pray for God’s will to guide our president elect?

How can you increase your civic duties and participate in the government as a citizen?

How can we, as a nation, come together as one group? How can we pray for people who are against the government and the decisions of the American people?

Songs Of Thanksgiving - Psalm 69:30

Psalm 69:30 English Standard Version

I will praise the name of God with a song;

I will magnify him with thanksgiving.

This verse makes me want to jump out of my chair and dance and sing. Psalm 69:30 is a huge reminder to me that not only can people worship God in different ways, but people need to worship Him in thanksgiving.

This verse, written by David, is about his pleas in life and in battle. David begins the psalm with speaking about his life and how he is sinking in deep waters and very stressed. We can all relate to this at some point. Then, David pleas for the Lord’s help with his enemies and asks that God destroys them. After begging for the destruction of his enemies, David again announces that he is in pain and needs God. He exclaims that he will rejoice in song and praise the Lord to thank Him. He continues on his psalm about worshiping God in better ways than just sacrifice.

This part of the psalm is perfect because it shows how in the middle of all of our begging and need we should stop and praise the Lord. David was very artistic in his praise by using song and dance, and has let us know that we can praise the Lord in any way. We need to stop what we are doing and give thanks to God for all that He has done and all that He will do. David is our example because, even though he is begging for God’s mercy and help, he stops to be thankful and praise God.

In our daily lives, we have so much going on that it is hard to just stop, relax, and say a prayer of thanksgiving to God. Everyday we struggle with deadlines, meetings, work, and school. We need to find a time to stop and pray like David does in the middle of this psalm. When I stop in the middle of my day during my lunch break or even while my students are taking a quiz, I say a quick prayer, read a chapter of my Bible study book, or a chapter of the Bible. It is so so relieving to take a step out of this crazy, busy world and think only about God and my relationship with Him. After that, my day goes by so peacefully because I took that break to praise my Lord in the little ways that I praise Him.

I challenge myself, and you, to take 5-10 minutes during your day to stop and pray and praise God. Not only when you first wake up or before you go to bed, but in the midst of your hectic life stop and praise God, and then thank Him for all He has given to you and for His mercy.

Thought Questions:

At what times can I successfully pause my day and take time to be with God in prayer and worship?

During my prayer time, what do I need to focus on the most in order to strengthen my relationship with God?

How can I encourage and support my brothers and sisters in Christ to also stop and praise God during their busy schedule?

Thanksgiving - Philippians 4:6-7

Philippians 4:6-7 English Standard Version

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 mind in Christ Jesus.

Prayer is our most powerful weapon. We use prayer to not only speak to our Lord in times of need, but to praise Him, and thank Him! This month, I am choosing to write about giving thanks to our Lord, and things that we should be thankful for. With Thanksgiving on the way, I hope that this prepares me to be thankful for all of the blessings in my life.

In Paul’s letter to the Philippians he is telling them to not worry, but instead to pray about everything. He tells us to use three different forms of prayer that are equally important. Paul tells us to use supplication to ask God for things. Supplication is when we are praying for something specific like a good grade on a test, or guidance in our life. We must ask God in prayer for something or for help. Then, we must also praise Him and we will be in peace.

When asking for something, we then also need to be thankful. I feel like this is one of the hardest things we do everyday. We sometimes forget to be thankful, and I mean more than just the quick ‘Thank you God!!’. I know that I am very guilty of this. For awhile, I have been asking God for so much, plans for myself and plans for others, or for my loved ones to not be sick. But I have realized that when things seem to workout, when I learn what God is trying to tell me, I do not fall on my knees and pray in thanks as hard as I did begging for something. We need to give God the same amount, if not more, of us in prayer for thanks and praise as we do with supplication.

In my prayers, I try to follow the ACTS format: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication. I find that this is one of the best prayer formats that I have found, and covers all of our important prayers. We begin with adoring God, then confess our sins, give thanks, then ask for what we need or want. Using this formation helps me put my prayers into perspective, and I am much happier with myself after I pray because I go through every important piece of a prayer.

Giving thanks to our Lord is so fulfilling. After I thank God for anything, I feel like I have appropriately given Him credit for my happiness. I pray that everyday I can remember to accompany thanksgiving with my regular prayers of adoration, confession, and supplication.

Thought Questions:

How can we say thank you to God in the middle of busy lives?

How we can check ourselves and remind ourselves about thanking God everyday during our prayers?

How can we thank others, while keeping our focus on God, when they also have a part in our happiness?