Sunday Sustenance - "A Heart of Thanksgiving" (part 5)

Psalm 100: 5 - "For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations."

I am so glad I waited to write this last post until after church today. As I was thinking about what I would share with you, I was going to say I had enjoyed focusing on being more thankful and even made it a habit in my life. But after church this morning, I realized I have a lot more work to do!

My pastor had a great message in church this morning dealing with the topic of unthankfulness, especially in the end times. 2 Timothy 3:1-2 states "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy." America, and people as a whole are very unthankful.

What can cause us to be unthankful? When we start focusing on the things God gives us as being great instead of the God who gives the things as being great!!! Even this month as I have been trying to focus on being thankful, what have I been focusing on being thankful for - the things God has given me or who God is? When I focus more on the things He gives, it makes me also focus on the things that I still need Him to "give me." Has my thankfulness been "gift-centered" or "God-centered?"

So how can I focus on who God is and not just what He does for me? In the last verse in Psalm 100 that I quoted above it mentions some of the characteristics of who God is - He is good, He is merciful, He is everlasting, His promises endure to all generations! He is also forgiving, loving, powerful, and mighty! So instead of thanking God for something He has given me (which is not wrong to do and I still need to do that too) I could thank Him for being a good God! And when He provides or protects us, I can thank Him for keeping His promise of provision and thank Him for being a powerful God who has the power to control the universe!

So now I have a whole new project - trying to focus on who God is and recognizing His attributes and how He is displaying them in my life. (Here are some of God's attributes - God is eternal, faithful, foreknowing, good, holy, just, long suffering, loving, merciful, righteous, impartial, sovereign, and wise to name a few!) If focusing on the God who gives, just makes us want more; then focusing on the God who IS, will make us want more of who He is!

I hope you have enjoyed this series and study on Psalm 100 and thankfulness. I know I did! I would love to hear from you!