Learning to trust in the Lord, Jesus and give thanks brings rest to our soul. There are some things I want to write about concerning the importance of trust and thanksgiving as a conclusion to the article series, “Acceptable Worship.”
This life can be hard. Trusting in others or in ourselves leads to disappointment and shame. Fear causes us to do terrible things to ourselves and others, leads us into doubt and despair, and keeps us stuck in places that would destroy us. Placing our trust in this world will also lead to our destruction.
Forgetting thankfulness leads us down paths of unproductive thought, often forgetting the good things we are blessed with, comparing our lives to others, and wallowing in covetousness and sadness. Forgetting thankfulness can also make trusting the Lord more difficult. The two go hand-in-hand really.
Originally, I had planned to do a single article, but I think this is an important topic that deserves more than that, so there will be a short series of articles on trust and thanksgiving. Below are my thoughts as of now. I’m not sure how I will break these ideas up into articles yet.
- What does it mean to trust in the Lord? If we trust the Lord, that means we have confidence in him. Do we place our confidence in ourselves, in others, or in Jesus? The problems with putting our confidence in others is that they will undoubtedly disappoint or lead us astray in some way.
- If we have confidence in Jesus, then this means we believe that he is true. If the Lord is true, then that means we trust in all Jesus stands for.
Jesus is True, Therefore:
- His teachings are true.
- His commandments are true.
- His judgments are true.
- His promises are true.
- His mercy is true.
- Jesus is in control.
When we trust in the Lord, Jesus, do we then have anything to fear? Not really. If we really have confidence in the Lord, then we are at peace. That is something to be thankful for!
The Holy Spirit works in us appreciation for life. As we grow in our appreciation for life, the small things we often take for granted are more appreciated also. As we become more aware of how all things are upheld by the mercy of God, we become thankful. A thankful heart is not as prone to sadness, grumbling, anger, bitterness, or other unrighteous attitudes. A thankful heart sings praise to the Lord, even in times of trouble because we trust in Him. We have a sure foundation and unshakable hope, no matter what comes our way. Some things to be thankful for as a Christian include:
- The sacrifice of Jesus
- Forgiveness of our sins
- The promise of resurrection
- The Lord’s strength and peace
- The Lord working in our lives
- Basic needs of life met
- The little joys in life
- God’s mercy and goodness
Do you have any thoughts you’d like to share before I begin writing this series? Do you have something else to comment on? If you do, you’re welcome to comment below or send me an email.