Lesson 256: ON BEING THANKFUL

Army of Tennessee Chaplain David Chaltas

I don’t know when it happened, where it happened or why it happened. Was it the thoughts of Thanksgiving and knowing I would not be with my children and grandchild? Was it from my childhood or years in the making? All I know is that is swept upon my being like a tundra snow. Whatever the reason, I found myself wallowing in self pity and ‘unthankfulness’. For a brief time, I allowed so many negative thoughts enter into my being and forgot the sacred principles of Christ’s teachings. I was not rejoicing but floundering with all the emotions that will destroy the spirit.

My wakeup call came when I allowed my emotions to rule my tongue. For no reason other than anger, I found myself tarnishing someone else and lashing out. Then came the culpability and the realization: the problem was not other people but fell squarely upon my shoulders. I was not following those principles in which I hold sacred. The fault lay within me and no one else.

As soon as I earnestly asked for forgiveness, I found His mercies. I am so thankful that He is our forgiving God along with a just God! It was then that I went back to the Book of Books for renewal. Immediately these verses were given to me. “Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.” Ephesians 4:2. I must practice what I preach and realize that patience is a virtue. In Thessalonians 5:11 I was instructed to, “Encourage one another” and realized that I had to encourage myself as well. Lighten up and live for we are God’s workmanship (Ephesians 2:10) and though we all have sinned and fall short in His eyes, He loves us and has a plan for our lives. Stick to the plan! Our forefathers didn’t have it any easier but they stuck to their beliefs, though at times they faltered. Moses even struck the stone in anger and look at Job. We all fumble the ball at times.

I received this from a friend and it afforded me such peace. "Sometimes the treasure is coated with corrosion, but if we do some scraping, we begin to see its value. Thanksgiving expresses our faith that God can, indeed, bring treasures out of trials, and faith adds muscle to the scraping process, even in the worst of trials."

When I quit beating myself up and returned to God I found myself once again at peace. Psalm 31:19 offers us insight into rejoicing. “How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you.” So does Psalm 107:1 which states to, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” So this day can we not celebrate his abundant goodness and joyfully sing of His righteousness?

Starting this very moment, I accept my shortcomings and will greet the Lord my God with humbleness of heart and thankfulness for the each breath. I know I shall fall on occasion but will rise again and then finally, RISE to be with Him. How very blessed I am, how very blessed YOU are this day my friends. Today let us rejoice as we share God’s words from Psalm 95:1-6: "O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also. The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker." With bended knee, we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving from the old general’s cabin..