THURSDAY January 9, 2025
The Spirit of Peace and Thankfulness
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
Colossians 3:15
Paul made sure to instill priorities in the hearts of his beloved Colossian brethren. First, they were to let the peace of God rule in their hearts.
Do you have the peace of God in your heart? The opposite of peace is anxiety. There are so many anxious people in this world. They worry about everything. If you are an anxious person, learn and study the Scriptures that speak about the peace of God. Memorizing Scriptures that speak about God’s peace will help you cope with your anxieties.
We all need the peace of God to rule over our hearts. Know this: God will bring peace and calm into any storm you are facing in your life. Philippians 4:6-7 encourages us to spend time in prayer to help our anxious hearts and minds:
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Second, we are to be thankful. Thankfulness can also lift us out of worry and anxiety. We focus on what we do have and not on what we do not have. There is a change of heart when our focus is on the Lord, not on our circumstances. Thankfulness completely changes our attitude. We become grateful and express our thanks and praise to God for all He has done in our lives. He has given us so much. We need to have a spirit of thanksgiving before God.
Are you thankful for your family, friends, your job, your home, your car, and the clothes and shoes you wear? God has given you everything you have, so be thankful.
A spirit of thankfulness is one of the most distinctive marks of a Christian whose heart is attuned to the Lord. Thank God in the midst of trials and every persecution.
~Billy Graham~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
