PSA 92:1 ESV
It is good to give thanks to the Lord , to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
PERSONAL COMMENTARY
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One of the best witnesses that I can give is my thankfulness to the Lord for the blessings in my life.
One of the most invigorating things I can do to revive and energize my spirit is to sing praises to the Lord.
If we believe, shouldn’t we constantly keep ourselves reminded of our blessings instead of letting ourselves be distracted by the temporary trials and sufferings of this life? Shouldn’t the love and gratitude in our hearts display itself in our countenance, in our attitude each day? Shouldn’t people wonder, “Why is that guy happy even when I see him struggling?”
I don’t think that I’m very good at this yet, because there are still areas of my life where I will let the actions of others impact my life. I see those that work hard and do everything that they can to contribute to a team effort, and then I see those that seem to barely make any effort at all and that take advantage of every possible situation where they can avoid work and leave it for others. And this bothers me because I see the struggle and heavy load that it puts others under because some don’t even really want to be where they are. And even though I can understand their internal struggles and have pity for their challenges, I still hope to see justice and fairness for the others that continually carry the weight for them.
And I’m thankful for the opportunity to step in and help carry the additional load to help, but it can become overwhelming at times. The thing that I’m trying to grasp and hold onto is that I need to be thankful that I’m not in the same dark place as they are. I need to continue to pray for them, encourage them, and be thankful for a job where I can contribute and make a difference. And if my example of praise and dedication is not enough to encourage them to change, maybe it might eventually shame them into self examination so they will discover what is missing in their own lives. If I was struggling, wouldn’t I want someone to encourage me, to wake me up?
Shouldn’t I be more focused on what I can do and not what others are or aren’t doing? I’m far from perfect and fall short in so many ways.
Yes, let me be thankful. And let me trust that the Lord will execute His justice fairly. Even though the evil rise up quickly like weeds and surround saplings in great quantity, they will wither under the strong light of the sun, they will die in the fall and turn to dust, while the saplings grow into great trees. So why should a tree concern itself with the ways of the weeds?
If someone refuses to listen to encouragement and council, what else can we do but pray, and leave them alone to either grow into a tree, or die as a weed. We cannot change others. It is futile and even prideful to think that we should.
So let me be thankful, even for those thorns around me. Because I might be a thorn to someone else with my weaknesses and shortcomings. I’m so far from perfection. So let me be happy and thankful for what I have, not envious of someone else’s situation. Because our hearts and thoughts will one day be weighed,and I don’t need jealousy or envy hardening mine any more than it already is.
So help me to be thankful.
How much I have to be thankful for!
The Lord has bless me with more than my need. The Lord has blessed me with great opportunity. The Lord has given me a purpose and a calling in life. The Lord has given me a renewed life. The Lord has given me salvation. The Lord has given me freedom from sin. The Lord has given me an eternal inheritance.
Shouldn’t I be rejoicing?
When I hang onto the memories of the little thorns, I let it infect my praise and my thankfulness.
Help free me from this infection, from this thorn in my side, Lord. But if it cannot be removed from my side, let it be worn down over time by tearing against the softness of my flesh, and if it can’t be worn down over time, Lord, help me to endure. I would rather your will be done than my own, and in my weakness, maybe your strength and power and honor will be demonstrated.
Lord, help me see those things honorable in each and every one of toy creatures. Help me see past the thorns. And help me to be more aware of my own thorns and shortcomings.
Help me.
Help me.
Help me.
I cry this out and I ask myself, where is the thanks? Where is the praise?
My praise is trusting that God will hear me. My praise is surrendering to Him my life. My praise today will be to be either thankful that the thorn is removed, or thankful that it is changed into a beautiful rose, or thankful that I can endure.
He didn’t say this life would be easy and full of prosperity and devoid of challenges or struggles – but He did say that He is sufficient to bring us through it all.
Praise the Lord!
Thank you, Lord, for being sufficient!
Thank you for showing me YOUR strength is greater than my weakness!
I will praise you with my life today, thankful for all you have given me!
God is so good!
Have a blessed day friends! My notes this morning are more about my own personal struggles, so they might not be helpful to anyone else. But these lessons each day are about what I’m learning. I’m not trying to teach you, I’m being taught, and I share for many reasons. Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit inside each believer should be our teacher, the Word of God, that is our teacher. So please, don’t follow me, follow the Word of God.
The Lord has blessed you and is btinging you through harm and evil and temptation today, friend. You are an overcomer. See past the blindness to temporary struggle and open your eyes to the many blessings the Lord has given us.
I love you. Pray for me, as I pray for you, friend.
Harold J. Ballinger 