Tuesday, September 24, 2013

By: Rachelle Hitt Bilbo

How to Approach God

Psalm 100:4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with

praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.

Often it is not until November and specifically Thanksgiving Day that people really vocalize what they are grateful for in their lives. However, we have so much to be grateful for AND should thank God for those things DAILY.

Today's verse actually commands us to approach God with THANKSGIVING first! Instead, we often go to Him with the many things we need. As a loving Father, He certainly wants to provide our needs and asks that we bring those needs to Him...but first, we should praise Him for His goodness.

I have been very blessed this month to read my friend Jennifer's social media updates each day. Every day this month, she has posted what she is thankful for in her life. Some days, she writes about her gratitude for the big things in her life such as her husband, children and friends. Other days, she writes about the seemingly simple and often overlooked blessings like...the weather!

I am sure you can relate to some of her daily posts:

"thankful for no traffic & no kids fighting in the car ride home today"

"grateful for cousins; they remind you of who you are & where you came from"

"grateful I only had one child inform me at 9:20 last night that they didn't have a clean uniform shirt for today"

 "thankful the dome will be Payton's Place once again"

 "grateful for the mornings when I get to start my day with a cup of coffee & prayers while sitting in my favorite spot in my house"

No matter what any of us are going through, we still have SOMETHING in which to be thankful. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, "In EVERY thing give

thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

I challenge you to always start your day thanking God for what He has

done in your life. Even if you are going through a difficult trial, begin to profess and thank Him for what He IS doing and WILL do! It may be difficult to see what God is doing while you are IN the trial. Regardless, remain thankful. He is working out something great in you!

Dear Lord, I THANK You that You are such a loving Father. Thank You for the MANY blessings in my life. Thank You for the very air I breathe!

I thank You, my Jesus, for dying for me. I believe that You are Lord and that God raised You from the grave so that I can have eternal life.