As we go into the holidays, I know for me and as for many people we feel overwhelmed. For many it doesn’t seem, a time in there life when we can sit back and enjoy the holidays and the true meaning behind them.  I really want us to think about the word thankful. It can have a lot of different meanings for everyone, and for some as well as me, we take it for granted.  

What does the word mean to you? 

When you look up the meaning of the word it says grateful, relieved, pleased, glad.  I know for me, I am so grateful for the life the Lord has given me and most importantly I am grateful for his Son that He sent to die on the cross for my sins. We have so many things to be thankful for and not taking time to sit back and be grateful for all of them, they have all came from The Lord.  Ephesians 5: 20 says, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.

When you are in darkness you are not thankful, and being in the light you realize how thankful and grateful you are.  Darkness can overwhelm you. Many people seem to get down and overwhelmed during the holidays and forget how to be thankful for the most important thing they have, that is Jesus! When they are overwhelmed in the holidays, for many it is a dark time, they seem alone or they financially feel strapped.  But in Colossians 2:6 6 “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”  The key word’s that really seem to stick out to me is rooted and overflowing with thankfulness. When you are rooted in the word, it makes you thankful, and we all need to be that way, because have the most precious gift we could ever ask for!  I know when you sometimes look at other peoples life you think, well I would be thankful if I had that or this, like that person, but we all have the free gift of Jesus. We just have to accept Him into our hearts and turn around to Him. Just think the more you are rooted in the word of the Lord the more your are thankful for His goodness! When satan was allowed to test Job he lost everything, Job 2:9 says, 9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? [c]Curse God and die!” It goes on to say 10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.  He was thankful and held fast to the Lord! 

My goal is to inspire you to get rooted in the word and be more thankful for all the gifts the Lord has given you, and is continuing to give you. Don’t be overwhelmed during the holiday season, be thankful for gracious opportunity to open the best gift we can ask for, Jesus!