Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Day 9, Part 3 A Year of Always Giving Thanks (AYOAGT)

April 16, 2014, Wednesday, 127 p.m.

Source of Inspiration for this Writing: "ONE THOUSAND GIFTS: A DARE TO LIVE FULLY RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE" BY ANN VOSKAMP, CHAPTER 1

SIN AND TEMPTATION

Wasn't one of the causes of what happened in the Garden of Eden and Genesis 3 the lack of gratitude?

Isn't this the catalyst which caused Adam and Eve to sin and the fall?

Isn't this what causes me to be tempted and then sometimes to sin?

Ann Voskamp brought up this up in chapter one and I would have to agree. The lack of a thanksgiving and gratitude for what God provided and what He did for them, and for me, causes all of us to sin and do wrong.

Sin is anything we do that is not part of the will of God. It's going against God, what He wants, and has planned. It's it following Him or His Word, the Bible. A synonym is wrongdoing.

Temptation is what comes to mind, which goes against God, which we then decide to either ignore or decide to follow through with (act on). Sin is when we put the temptation to action.

I want think if I were to lookout for blessings each day and night, and count them all day and night long, then I would be far less likely to be tempted to sin, let alone actually sin. If I were to look for and count my blessings all the time, then I will live differently. I will have, and will live, a fuller life.

How and why?

Counting my blessings means looking at different things, in a different way, and this new perspective and point-of-view means living a different life. It means staying in in tune with God and on track.

Moreover, if I am not living a life, a day, a week, a month (etc.) of thanksgiving, then I am ignoring God and what He's doing in my life, through my life, and around my life. I am intentionally choosing to ignore God if I'm not always looking out to God and seeing what He's doing, so then I won’t count my blessings and show Him gratitude. This isn't good. It sets me up to get off track and fail. If I do not thank God, I will. It's just a matter of time. I will be tempted and I will then be likely to sin.

Part of the reason why I feel empty at times is because I fail to look and see where, when, and how God is working. Then, I fail to see my blessings, so counting them seems futile. Oh, how this isn't true. If I were to actually give thanks, and count my blessings, even when I don't feel like it, then my perspective would change and I would feel a lot better. I would feel less empty.

And, if I kept a list of my counted blessings with me everywhere I go, then if I ever deal with a challenge, or need a pick-me-up, I can look at the list and then I would feel a lot better. I would then turn to God not away from Him.

ETERNITY VS. THIS WORLD

There is something we need to realize. When we die, we will have just as much contact with God as we do now. God is always with us now, after all. Always. We just don't acknowledge that or we have obstacles in our life which prevents us from fully realizing and experiencing Him and His presence.

Eternity illuminates the hindrances in our lives, which keep us from fully perceiving and experiencing the presence of God. However, eternity does not mean God will be more present than He is now. Giving thanks, and counting our blessings means we perceive and experience more while we are living in this world and now.

In other words, giving thanks makes us draw nearer to God. We live eternity now. In fact, the more thanks we give, the more we can experience the fullness of eternity now. For, we remove more of the obstacles keeping us from God, the more we give thanks.

When we fail to give thanks, we fail to see, know, and experience God. We fail to live for eternity now. We, then, fail to live in His will.

Re-read this section several times and let the words sink in more with each reading. Read slowly. Absorb it.

GIVE CONSTANT THANKS

There is a reason why 1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us to always give thanks in and for all things. It's because if we don't, we draw further from God. We perceive and experience Him less. As a matter of fact, the first time we forget to always give thanks, we draw further from God, rather than nearer to Him.

Want to draw nearer to God? Offer more thanks. Count more Blessings.

Want answers? Give more thanks.

Want to hear God? Show more gratitude.

Want a higher quality of life? Count more blessings.

Want a better marriage? Give thanks to God and to your spouse.

Want to experience and offer more love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and/or self-help (Galatians 5:22-23????)? Count more of your blessings and give more thanks to God.