Don't give away your thankfulness!
There's a real battle raging right now for the fullness of your joy.
We just finished reading 1 John together as a church, and John couldn't be clearer: "And these things we write to you that your joy may be full." 1 John 1:4
Solomon once lost his joy. Or, more accurately, he gave it away. The choices he made slowly convinced him that everything was meaningless. He didn't just entertain the lie, he lived it until it consumed him: "Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun: And look! The tears of the oppressed, But they have no comforter- On the side of their oppressors there is power, But they have no comforter." Ecclesiastes 4:1
The most powerful weapon we have in this fight for joy is thankfulness. Thankfulness kills self-centeredness. It lifts our eyes off ourselves and fixes them on the Lord and on others. It's almost impossible to stay bitter, anxious, or empty when you're genuinely grateful.
So, what are you thankful for today? Who are you thankful for?
Yes, life is messy. People are messy. We're messy. But there is beauty in our walk with Jesus and in real relationships with others.
Today, choose thankfulness and then live it out loud. Tell someone. Text them. Call them. Write it down and hand it over. The person who needs to hear of the thankfulness in your heart might be the very one God puts in front of you. A mercy heart sure is contagious.
And thankfulness is still the best medicine for a heavy heart. So, search your heart and find a few things you are thankful for, and share it! And watch as your joy comes rushing back in.
-To Know Jesus. To Live on Mission.