A thankful heart is a happy heart

November is always a month of transition for me.

My Smoked Meat stand closes at the local Farmer’s Market, which eventually leads to my life slowing down.

I am getting my pastoral tasks and duties finalized from the summer and autumn and I start planning things for next year. New ministries and opportunities to make a difference roll around in my head and make their way to “My Notes App” on my phone. Discussions with people wiser than me begin.

This month is always an interesting month. Personally, it is a calendar filled with family birthday celebrations, our wedding anniversary and Thanksgiving Day, which leads us to spend time with our extended family.

Though it is a month of planning for 2020, it is also a month for deep reflection.

I choose to reflect because I’m thankful! I am thankful for my loving wife, my beautiful daughters, my friends, my church family and I am especially thankful for my Savior the Lord Jesus Christ.

I have learned through the years that busyness along with exhaustion can quickly make me lose perspective. Through a cranky lens I can find myself becoming cynical. A cynical heart can cause as much damage mentally and spiritually as dynamite can cause physically. A cynical heart causes us to take our blessings for granted. We become numb to the joy and beauty that is all around us. We also lose sight that the Lord makes our pathways straight. God walks with us. A cynical heart creates hopelessness.

Paul wrote about truthful speech, the power of God and weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left in 2 Corinthians 2:7.

So what do we use to fight of cynicism, depression, hopelessness and other critical spirits? We need to pull out a powerful weapon of righteousness called; “Gratitude.”

Gratitude is a powerful weapon. Gratitude makes us notice the good. If we keep looking toward Jesus, the one who is faithful and true, our lives will never be consumed by hopelessness. Gratitude protects Joy, Peace, Purpose and Hope in our lives.

Colossians 2:7; Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

My daughter Abigail has introduced me to a musical artist by the name of Travis Greene. He wrote a song called “Made a way.” The words to the chorus are as follows; “Lord, you made a way. When my back was against the wall and it looked like it was over. Lord, you made a way and now I’m standing here only because you made a way.”

Thankfulness is a key that unlocks the door to peace and contentment. Bitterness does not have a home where gratefulness resides because a thankful heart is a happy heart.