"You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God."
2 Corinthians 9:11-12
God calls us to be generous, to help those in need, to care for the orphan and the widow, to be selfless. Not only because it is good to help those around us, but because by doing so, we are praising God through thanksgiving. Not just about giving thanks, but about giving.
Have you ever noticed how any time you give something away, or serve on a mission trip or volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House or the Houston Food Bank you end up feeling like to received more than you gave. I think the nature of our heart, one that is seeking after Christ at least, is to be generous. We have a desire to give to others and take on each others burdens. We have a need to have unity among believers, and part of how that unity is received is through generosity in one of its many forms.
Part of why I wanted to do 30 Days of Thanks was not to boast on those around me, although it is a great opportunity to do so, but to remind myself of the numerous ways that God has blessed me in the past year. Nothing I am thanking on this blog would exist without God's divine provision. Nothing would impact me as largely with God being in the picture. He takes a little blessing and with God's involvement, it balloons into a huge blessing that often times keeps on giving. It is easy during the holidays to get busy with events, and plans and presents -- so I am going to keep this verse close in hand. We are blessed so that we can bless others. God wants to use our story to build someone else's. I pray I recognize His intentionality and allow God to guide me through the holidays rather than look back on New Year's Eve seeing the holidays in a blur and hoping I remembered to think about God's role it in all. How humbling to think about how easily that could occur??
I want to overflow and MANY expressions of thanks to God this season. Who is with me?
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