“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by your prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 4:6-7
Give Thanks
Does the way you act, speak and live make people want to have what you have? That was a very sobering question directed at me in my early teens by a very dear family member, and it has been one that I have carried with me ever since. When I think of what I am thankful for each day, the list just grows and grows, but it is a list that I honestly try to recite to God each day and each night. The ability to see, hear, walk and taste food are but a few of the infinite blessings from God.
After my workouts are over, I love to fish on the lakes that are in abundance around my home in Ontario. I’m no longer a 5 a.m. fisherman, but I love being alone on a lake when a full moon is beginning to rise over the horizon. All seems to go quiet as if nature itself is caught up in the moment of another Creator’s masterpiece, and it is at this time that I simply begin to praise Him and to talk with Him.
Did you know that prayers of appreciation are a blessing to Him?
“He who offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; and to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God.” — Psalms 50:23
When you begin to make thanksgiving a daily part of your life, don’t just keep it to yourself. Share it with others through a kind smile, an encouraging word, giving them your full and uninterrupted attention. These are the things that will have a lasting impact on those around you and will make them want to have what you have. If you plant the seed, God will water the garden, and another beautiful masterpiece will have been begun in their life.
That’s a life worth living!
— Terry Burwell
If you would like to submit a reader devotional, please email all submissions to jason@sportsspectrum.com.
