Living in Thanksgiving

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It’s November, Superkid! After our year-long look into life with Jesus, I see some big changes in myself, and I’m grateful! And, it’s the time of year when I usually talk to you about gratitude and thanksgiving. I find that the deeper I go with Jesus, the easier it is to have a grateful heart. The further I am from a full-time heart of giving thanks, the more I complain.

 

Complaining reflects the attitude of our hearts, and it’s easy to fall into. Any little detail that’s not how we like it, and BAM! We turn into Captain Complaino! Try taking that complaint to the Lord—it doesn’t work. Have your complaints had much success with Mom and Dad lately? Probably not, because COMPLAINING DOESN’T WORK with them either. Even if it seems to work, the answer didn’t come from the Lord. You went around Him to get what you wanted. The truth hurts, but it’s the only way Jesus can help you have the success that matters. And He IS there to help you. Jesus knows what it’s like to WANT to complain, yet He didn’t.

 

Hebrews 4:14-15, The Passion Translation, tells us how connected to our frailty (human weakness) Jesus is: “So then, we must cling in faith to all we know to be true. For we have a magnificent King-Priest, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who rose into the heavenly realm for us, and now sympathizes with us in our frailty. He understands humanity, for as a Man, our magnificent King-Priest was tempted in every way just as we are, and conquered sin.”

 

Jesus knew that complaining would not work with His Father. Psalm 100 told Jesus how to come to His Father, “As you serve him, be glad and worship him. Sing your way into his presence with joy!… You can pass through his open gates with the password of praise. Come right into his presence with thanksgiving. Come bring your thank offering to him and affectionately bless his beautiful name!” (verses 2, 4).

 

Hebrews 4:16 is clear about how WE should come to the Father. “So now we come freely and boldly to where love is enthroned, to receive mercy’s kiss and discover the grace we urgently need to strengthen us in our time of weakness.”

 

Freely, with thanksgiving! THERE IS NO COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT IN HEAVEN!

 

Jesus wants you to come to Him for help, but He’s going to help you the RIGHT way, not just fix your complaint. When you complain, Jesus will talk to you about being thankful. OF COURSE, it’s better to take it to Him, than to complain to others! He is faithful to correct you, and help you get your heart right (kind of like Mom and Dad do).

 

In the Garden of Eden, Adam complained to God about Eve! And, the Psalms are FULL of complaints. Psalms 50 and 73-83 were written by Asaph, a musician and prophet. What he wrote is interesting. Half the time he complains and half the time he praises. He wants to share the lesson he learned. In Psalm 73, he says he nearly lost everything as he complained about others, God, the wicked, you name it. Then, in verse 17: “But then one day I was brought into the sanctuaries of God, and in the light of glory, my distorted perspective vanished.”

 

It’s amazing what happens when you get with Jesus! After God gave him clarity about the people he was complaining about, he says in verses 22-26:

 

I was so stupid. I was senseless and ignorant, acting like a brute beast before you, Lord. Yet, in spite of all this, you comfort me by your counsel; you draw me closer to you. You lead me with your secret wisdom. And following you brings me into your brightness and glory! Whom have I in heaven but you? You’re all I want! No one on earth means as much to me as you. Lord, so many times I fail; I fall into disgrace. But when I trust in you, I have a strong and glorious presence protecting and anointing me. Forever you’re all I need!

 

Superkid, this is the answer to complaining. In the other Psalms of Asaph, he still complains and praises, but he already has the answer. He repeats it in Psalm 75:1, “God, our hearts spill over with praise to you! We overflow with thanks, for your name is the ‘Near One.’ All we want to talk about is your wonderful works! And we hear your reply.”

 

When we praise and thank Him instead of complain, we will hear Him answer. It may be that attitude adjustments are all we need. But if there’s something more, our thankfulness allows Him to fix that too. *Commander Kellie secret: A thankful heart will not only lead to help from the Lord, it works pretty well with Mom and Dad too!

 

Rather than pull in the opposite direction, choose to work with Jesus, and Mom and Dad. Write down your go-to complaints and ask Jesus to keep watch over your words.

 

Instead of complaining, focus on being grateful and thankful for Jesus and all that He and others have done for you. Matthew 6:31-33, The Message, says it best: “What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.”

 

You can do this, Superkid! It will change your life as you open up a new heart of thanksgiving and praise! The next time Captain Complaino shows up, just tell him the complaint department is closed!

 

Gratefully and thankfully yours,

Commander Kellie ♥