Gratefulness and Blessings

I have been praying lately for God to speak to me. As always, I feel it would be nice to pick up the phone and hear an audible response from God. I keep whining and complaing to him about all my "problems". So much so, that I am sick of hearing myself pray to Him.

Two days ago I felt led to have prayers that thanked Him for what I did have rather then what I didn't have. This was hard. I didn't want to be thankful for the shopping cart of food I just bought that I didn't have money for. How could I be thankful for that? How could I be thankful in these circumstances? But knowing that I should listen I went ahead and followed His leading and made the prayer only about things I was thankful for. Much to my surprise I left the shower (the only place I can really pray) feeling more at peace about everything then I had in a long time.

Later that day I sat down to watch Joyce Meyer. I hadn't watched her show in a while and usually when this happens that day there is something that speaks to me. Well I was not dissapointed. I sat down to find a whole sermon on being thankful. We need to be more thankful. Even for stupid things. And if your situation is too overwhelming and it seems that heaven is quiet thank God that He is working. Even though we don't see the end result doesn't mean that God is not working on it at this very moment.
Ok. Got that lesson. Be thankful.

Next day I woke up and began thanking God for everything. All day I repeated things I was thankful for and said the phrase "God I trust you" over and over again. Finally some peace.

I sat down to watch Joyce again and today's message was on blessing. How we need to speak blessings in our life. It sounds silly but saying things outloud like "I am blessed" really does help. She spoke using Deuteronomy 28 as reference:

Blessings for Obedience
1 If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. 2 All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God:
3 You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.

4 The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.

5 Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.

6 You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.

7 The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.

8 The LORD will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The LORD your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.

9 The LORD will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the LORD your God and walk in obedience to him. 10 Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will fear you. 11 The LORD will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you.

12 The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. 13 The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. 14 Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them.


You will notice how God says that if we obey we will be blessed, our offspring will be blessed our land will be blessed, or feeding troughs will be blessed...heck even our animals will be blessed. Joyce suggested that we start to proclaim these blessing in our life. That words have the power of life or death and often times we speak nothing but death to ourselves...."I'm no good" "I screwed up" "I'm such a failure" "I'm not a good mom" "I blew it" etc.
She said to wake up in the morning and to ask God to bless the day. Ask God to bless you, bless your family, bless your finances, bless your food, bless whatever you can think of to bless. As verse 2 says "All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God". This is a promise. I will be blessed if I obey the Lord my God. So why worry?

Can I tell you that ever since I started doing this I feel a huge burden lifted from my heart. I feel happier, lighter, filled with joy. I think I can see how now how you can be joyful in all situations. This is what God was speaking to my heart. Instead of focusing on the bills I couldn't pay He wanted me to thank Him for the bills I did pay. Instead of looking at the food I didn't have, thank Him for what was in my fridge. Thank Him for the new day instead of sitting in anxiety and misery. What good does that do? I can't change the situation. I've tried. It's not working. Maybe God brought me to this place to show me how blessed my life really is. He knows the desires of my heart. He is my Provider. I will trust in Him. Even if I said I believed it, but in my heart didn't. Saying the words "I trust you God" over and over every time a bit of fear sneaks in squashes the enemeny and reminds me that God is in control. He is bigger then my situation and He knew we would be in this place. He promises to work all things out for the good of those who love Him.

So if your feeling down, if your having a bad day try this. I didn't believe it would work but I tell you it has worked for me. It worked instantly that day, and everyone is happier because of it.

I leave you with my Bible verse for the day:

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

~ Philippians 4:19, NLT