With Thanksgiving and the Holidays among us, nearing the end of the year, many people like to take this time to reflect on everything that they are thankful for. I strive to remind myself of these reasons throughout the entire year, not just during the holiday season. I have so many reasons to be thankful, a rewarding job, a loving family, and recently clean cancer scans are just a few things that I thank God for every day.
I firmly believe that the students of CIU have an outstanding grip on cultivating gratitude and giving back to others. In fact, a few weeks back, a group of students spent their days giving back to the community in Columbia, South Carolina. The Student Mission Connection (SMC) on campus dedicated their time to collecting and distributing bags of groceries to families in need. Furthermore, they offered something more valuable than groceries; they offered to pray with the residents. These acts of kindness reminded me that I am thankful to be the president of such a humbling body of students.
Expressing gratitude and thankfulness is rooted in the Scripture of the Lord, and as devote Christians, we are to thank God for all that he provides for us.
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16 – 18)
It is healthy to get into the habit of counting your blessings and expressing gratitude. When you wake up each morning to another day, thank the Lord for this opportunity and ask for his guidance to take on the day ahead.
There will be days that are harder than others, and you will face new and intimidating challenges. These are the days where putting your faith in God is vital. When you retain your strong relationship with God during difficult times, your gratitude can become contagious to others.
Utilize the holidays as the time to reflect on all that you are thankful for. Spread the gospel to others so that they, too, can recognize the scale of His love and influence on our lives. Remember all that you have to be thankful for, and give notice to those around you who do not have as much as you do. You can take action in giving back to those around you and in doing so, restore their faith. Living every day with a grateful heart will strengthen your faith and relationship with the Lord.
“I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.” (Psalm 69:30)
Originally published on MarkSmithCIU.net