A Heart of Thankfulness

My favorite holiday is upon us once again.  I look forward to this time with family, hanging out together, and remembering how grateful we are for each other.   While the world is often focused on material things, it is a time to take a step back from it all and think about what it most important in our lives.  Doing so on a regular basis, and not just on a holiday that happens once a year, can have an amazing effect on your over all health.  It will reduce stress, pain, anxiety, depression, and several physical ailments.

We are often reading about how to improve our health with proper food, exercise, drinking more water, consuming less caffeine and other healthful changes.  However, we are much more than a physical being.  We also have a mental/emotional aspect, along with spiritual.  It is this last one that often gets the least attention, when it could very well be the most important.

In the theory of holistic health, when one part of our lives is suffering, the rest of our health also suffers.  We cannot separate them into different compartments that don't touch each other.  They are intertwined and closely related.

When I focus on the negative things in life, such as current events or personal family challenges, I have noticed that they get BIGGER.  This results in one huge pity party, depression, a short fuse, exhaustion, and a feeling of hopelessness.  As someone who has struggled with severe depression in the past, I know how deep that pit can get and what a dark place it can be.  It is also easy to get back into that pit if I am not careful and vigilant about my thoughts.  That's why this verse has become vitally important to me:  "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" (2  Corinthians 10:5)  When I focus on this truth and other Scriptures, my heart changes.  I am filled with His joy and peace despite what the circumstances may be.  In turn, I can be more of the woman He created me to be, rather than letting the enemy ruin my day and consequently affecting everyone around me!

I have found that focusing on the Lord and all He's done for me (and it's a LOT!) reduces pain in my body, calms my mind, and creates a joy within that is indescribable.  Imagine what happens inside of you with this shift in thinking!  Your heart rate slows down, your digestive system can work better since it has more energy available to do its job, sleep is improved...the list can go on and on!  Do I do this perfectly?  No, of course not.  But I thank God that even though I'm not where I need to be yet, I am not where I used to be!  

My challenge to you is this:  What are you thankful for, not only today or in this season.  Every single day when you get up in the morning, what can you thank God for?  You woke up!  You have breath!  That's a good place to start!  You are loved!  Even if it may not seem like you have people in your life that care about you, I can assure you that it isn't true.  And if it appears that way at this moment, remember that your Heavenly Father loves you unconditionally.  He loves you so much that He sent His Son as an atonement and sacrifice to save us from ourselves so that we can be forgiven.  There isn't anything more precious than that.

And so, dear friends, my prayer for you is this.  "For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might."  (Ephesians 1:15-19)

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