Creating an Atmosphere of Peace, Gratitude and Thanksgiving
As you enter the season of harvest and thanksgiving, it is important to reflect about God’s goodness in your life. How do you create and nurture a spirit of gratitude in your home?
First, you have to develop a spirit of gratitude in your heart, where God is honored and you are in rhythm with His will. Only until you develop this sense of inner peace, can you transfer the spirit of thanksgiving to your home.
True peace is barely noticeable when we are in calm surroundings, but it shines brightly in our trials and difficulties. At this very moment, I could use a prescription for peace. Currently, I am facing various challenges; an aging mother who is experiencing health concerns, church struggles, and lacking patience in relationships with others; concentrating on people’s faults versus seeing their strengths.
Peace means that you can be in the midst of trials and tribulations, but still have peace and calm within your heart. In his book, Finding Peace, Charles Stanley writes: Peace is an inner quality that flows out of a right relationship with God.” I am reminded of a famous quote:
“Peace does not dwell in outward things, but within the soul” (Francois Fenelon)
Even though I teach on the beauty of spiritual maturity, I have seen examples in my life where I lack the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Coping with stress in my life recently has encouraged me to re-examine what is peace, and how to achieve God’s peace regardless of the circumstances. This is humbling, realizing I must control my emotions. Regardless of my faults and failure to handle situations in a way that honors God, I know I serve a forgiving God.
The bible says in Thessalonians 3:16, “Now may the Lord of peace give you peace at all times and in every way.” How does God gives you His peace? How does His peace transfer to your heart? One powerful tool to achieve peace is through prayer. I am often reminded that there are four main elements to prayer:
*praise
*confession
*thanksgiving
*supplication
Praising God brings you peace. When you praise God, you remind yourself about His sovereignty, powerfulness and holiness. Praise will take you out of the place of anxiety and worry and into a place of hope, trust and peace.
Take time to reflect on the Book of Psalms and notice how David’s praises to the Lord led him to experience both peace and joy. Praise will do the same for you. As David wrote in Psalm 34:12, “Examine and see how good the Lord is. Happy is the person who trusts him.”
Confession also brings us peace. In Psalm 51, David offered this prayer of confession: “Turn your face from my sins and wipe out all my guilt. Create in me a pure heart, God and make my spirit right again.” Leave your sorrow and guilt at God’s feet. God will cleanse you from all the wrongs you have done.
Thanking God is another aspect of prayer that brings you peace. When an attitude of gratitude fills your mind and heart, your eyes are focused on God’s blessings and all the good things He has done for you; rather than on your circumstances, worries, and fears.
As Paul wrote to the Philippians, “Do not worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, and always giving thanks. And God’s peace, which is so great we cannot understand it, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Supplication is a form of prayer where you humbly and earnestly ask God to provide something for you, or on behalf of someone else. Make your requests known to Him, and watch God work out everything for your good.
As you enter the season of thanksgiving make sure your prayer life is strong and vibrant. This will contribute greatly to developing a spirit of peace and gratitude in your home. Take time to reflect about what you are grateful for by journaling about God’s blessings in your life.
Always remember, you play a critical role in creating an atmosphere of love, joy and
peace in your home. Enjoy this gift of sharing God’s love and peace with others during this harvest season.
Blessings!
