"I Thank My God" with Joy!

             Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  As we begin week of Thanksgiving, let’s make sure we are drinking our Joy Juice faithfully so that our hearts will overflow with gratitude.

            It’s kinda like the question: Which comes first…the chicken or the egg?  Are we thankful because we’re joyful….or are we joyful because we’re thankful?

            Genuine joy comes from having a thankful heart—being appreciative for the things that we have, instead of focusing on what we don’t have. Joy comes from being satisfied and content with what God has blessed us with, instead of being jealous of the things someone else possesses. There will always be those who have more than we do….materially.  But is that really what’s important?   Let’s take a lesson from Paul.

            He begins his letter to the Philippians with thanks.  Though he wrote this letter from a prison cell, just listen to his joyful words: “I thank my God every time I remember you.  In all my prayers for all of you I always pray with joy……”

             Could you pray with joy if you were in a prison cell?  Paul could because he realized that he had what was important…a relationship with Christ.  Is Jesus that important to you?  So important so that you can look beyond your circumstances and remain thankful…regardless. 

           

            Like Paul, let’s thank God, pray with JOY and get ready for a blessed Thanksgiving.