2008 Thanksgiving Reflections

Recently, I read an interesting reflection by Jill Carattini, who is a managing editor for a Ravi Zacharias International Ministries newsletter. She writes,

“To our grumbling prone lips, these words are quite revealing. If being thankful is by nature being aware and appreciative of things beyond ourselves, complaining is refusing to see anything but ourselves. It is refusing to see the one who is among us. Moreover, it is an expression that serves only to affirm our own expectations, whether they are based on faulty visions of reality or not. Certainly the Israelites did not want to go back into captivity, but in their grumbling even slavery began to look inviting. Likewise, the falling bread from heaven ceased to be a remarkable sign of provision from the Father, but remarkably, a sign of monotony and their own dreariness. Our complaints are not only a choice to overlook the blessings around us, but the choice not to ask where or from whom our blessings come.”

 
 

I thought it was a pretty insightful analysis of the human heart.

When we lose the sense of gratitude or thankfulness for things around us, then a complaining person cannot see anything but themselves and they will most likely forget about God.

This is why a person, who is growing in maturity and also becoming less selfish and less self-centered, will have higher levels of thankfulness. It is so easy to get caught up focusing on ourselves in the midst of all the various circumstances we are going through. But we have to avoid the temptation to get so consumed with our own little world.

This Thanksgiving season may our lips produce more praise than a crop full of complaints. When we do hear complaints flowing from our lips, may we redirect our attention to our Savior rather than on the self. It might just transform some things. Even your family members (sometimes our harshest critics) might notice a difference.

Spiritual ENTREPRENEUR, Church EQUIPPER, Leadership EDUCATOR, Ideas EXPERIMENTER & Global EXPLORER who is trying to transform lives and transform the world.
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