1 Thessalonians 5:18
Recently I experienced a really rugged trip home from a distant Christian writers' conference. With storms playing havoc with not only my home airport but most of the eastern U.S. flight system, I spent 25 straight hours either in an airport or on a plane. Boy, did I see one haggard face when I looked in the restroom mirror.
I wound up spending the night in Reagan airport in Washington, D.C. Even though a lot went wrong before and after that point, I found myself grateful for small things.
With my luggage at who-knows-where, I was thankful for the light jacket I brought along that could keep me warm during the night and the toothbrush kit I always stow in my backpack.
I appreciated the airport providing a row of wobbly recliners; I took one and slept with my feet up, carefully calibrated to avoid falling out of the leaning chair.
And I breathed a little prayer of thanks when I learned I was booked on the last seat from D.C. to St. Louis the next morning; neither city was my starting nor ending point as I was rerouted from airport to airport.
Looking back, I'm reminded of a verse, 1 Thessalonians 5:18, which I find myself turning to again and again:
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Even when life doesn't go as planned, having a mindset of gratitude allows us to view our situations in a different light.
We are so quick to find the negative; let us be even quicker to discover the positive in every situation and to give thanks to God for small favors, for loving care, and for presence in every circumstance.
Please check out my latest Practical Faith Academy podcast with Joyce Zook, the Practical Christian Woman. A good portion centers on marriage, but Joyce has plenty to wisdom to share with everybody on putting faith into practice. Search for "Practical Faith Academy" on popular podcast sites, or head to CecilTaylorMinistries.com, and click on the Practical Faith Academy icon.
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