True Thanksgiving

Oh, give thanks to the Lord,for He is good!~~ Psalm 107:1 ~

Separated from friends, unjustly accused, brutally treated -- if any man had a right to complain it was this man, languishing almost forgotten in a harsh Roman prison. But instead of complaints, his lips rang with words of praise and thanksgiving.

This was the apostle Paul -- a man who had learned the meaning of true thanksgiving, even in the midst of great adversity. Look carefully at what he wrote during that prison experience: "Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:19-20, NIV).

Think of it. "Always giving thanks...for everything," no matter the circumstances. His guards and fellow prisoners must have thought him crazy -- but that didn't stop him. Thanksgiving for Paul was not a once-a-year celebration, but a daily reality that made him a joyful person in every situation. May that be true of us. The Reverend Billy Graham in Hope for Each Day, Words of Wisdom and Faith