Thankfulness and Joy

Thankfulness and Joy…. they go together like peanut butter and jelly…like bees and honey….like husband and wife. It’s just a given. Right?? Or maybe not so much….

Let’s do a little self examination….I know ya’ll love that. Going into this Thanksgiving season….. ask yourself, “Am I Thankful?” No, I mean really ask your self and be truly honest with yourself ….. “AM I THANKFUL?”  Ya see, if (when) we are deeply thankful for all God has done, all He provides daily, all His Grace, and Mercy EVERYDAY….then ……shouldn’t our appearance (countenance) show it?? What do I mean by appearance? What I mean is this….. ask yourself….”Do people see JOY, LIGHT HEARTEDNESS, A SKIP IN YOUR STEP, A GLIMMER IN YOUR EYES, do they see that someone that is just always happy???  OR……. do they SEE (catch that guys….see….like visually) a hum-drum, poor-me, look at my hardships, let me tell you how hard its been or how awful I feel, a down in the dumps christian?? That hardly resembles a joy-filled lover of Jesus and all He has done! (Hey….guys…If ya got nothing else but Jesus …. and ya ain’t going to hell….pretty good reason to be thankful everyday!! Just sayin’!)

My sweet girlfriend, Teresa, gave me a wall hanging awhile back that I read VERY VERY often…..it goes like this….

“In the Happy moments praise God. In the Difficult moments seek God. In the Quiet moments trust God. And IN EVERY MOMENT THANK GOD!!”  In every moment are you grateful…. cuz here’s the deal guys…..Thankfulness DOES NOT DEPEND ON OUR CIRCUMSTANCES!!!

In Luke 17:11-19 the Bible teaches us about the 10 lepers who were all healed by Jesus. Interestingly, verse 14 tells us that “as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a LOUD VOICE GLORIFIED GOD, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him THANKS“. Now, think about this ….. where we’re the other 9 lepers??? Like seriously…..what the heck??? Why didn’t we see them return and give thanks??  I find it really interesting that only ONE SHOWED HIS THANKFULNESS (or even acknowledged) God’s goodness. Notice the scripture says “with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face”…..clearly a site of THANKFULNESS!!  Clearly a visual picture of gratitude!!  Ask yourself….Do others SEE me as a thankful and grateful person or do they SEE me like everyone else…shuffling through life, preoccupied with ….yourself, your stuff, your problems, your lack, sad-faced, with a down-trodden look of “poor me”?? Now, I am not trying to be harsh…but, I am trying to get us to look in the mirror and see if our reflection or expression is one of JOY and PEACEFULNESS or HOW ABOUT JUST A SMILE?? Do people going through their day see you ….head up, smile on your face, greeting others with hello or do they see you with your head down, consumed with life’s matters and don’t even see the people your passing?? Listen guys….If we don’t reflect (express) the joy and peace from God being in our life…. then why would the world want to know our Father?? Joy should be the FRUIT from the thankfulness we have. Or better said, Joy should always be the evidence of who you are because of WHOSE YOU ARE!!!

Here’e the question of the day…..is my countenance actually reflecting Jesus or is it reflecting my life circumstances?? Because guess what? The world notices!! So stop just a moment …. think….. some are not as fortunate as you to be here this thanksgiving…. SELAH (Pause and think about that)… even with our hardships….you are still here….reading this….Be Thankful.

Let’s try to maybe notify our faces, our mouths, our body language that we actually do trust and love our Lord Jesus Christ! Remember we are supposed to be representatives of our KING……What do you look like to others??? Are you truly thankful??