“Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High. Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory…
But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me.”
Psalm 50:14-15, 23 NLT
What do you do when you feel totally discouraged, when your emotional energy tank is empty? If you’re anything like me, you most likely focus on yourself! Poor me—what did I do to deserve this? Or, what’s wrong with me—why can’t I just pull myself together? And when that heaviness lingers, it’s easy to become bitter—I’ve sacrificed all my time and talents for God’s business—and this is what I get?
But God says, “Make thankfulness your sacrifice.” What? I don’t see any reason to give thanks—I don’t feel like being thankful. However, I must remember that I alone decide my focus during discouragement. I can choose to wallow around in the dregs at the bottom of my half-empty cup, or I can choose to look around at God’s faithfulness and unfailing love that keep stirring what’s left in my half-full cup! I could also keep adding more promises from The Word to my cup, until I’m finally able to TRUST GOD with the “not yet.”
God is not looking for works that will bless Him. He’s looking for hearts that will trust Him. Thankfulness flows freely from hearts that trust!
So, next time I feel discouraged,
TRUST is gonna flow from my heart in a sacrifice of thankfulness!
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