In happy moments, PRAISE GOD. In difficult moments, SEEK GOD. In quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD. In painful moments, TRUST GOD. Every moment, THANK GOD. This is one of my favorite quotes. I seem to see it everywhere lately.
Recently I was listening to a teaching on the subject of humility by Keith Moore. During the message he made a statement that stopped me in my tracks. He said ‘God asked me one day if I wanted to know how to increase my capacity to receive?’
I stopped what I was doing and listened intently. I don’t know about you but God often talks to me about increasing my capacity to receive and I didn’t want to miss a key to that area of revelation.
He went on the say that God said ‘to increase your capacity to receive you must cultivate a lifestyle of thanksgiving.’
Now, I have often taught on being thankful, I know it is a vital key to the promises of God. Yet as I listened the word ‘cultivate’ captured my attention.
The word cultivate means; to improve by labor or study, to advance the growth of by correction of faults. To raise or produce by tillage.
Hmmm….
Tillage is defined as; to keep the ground free from weeds by whatever means is necessary.
In other words, you may have to dig the weeds out, pull the weeds out, spray something on the weeds, but you will do whatever is necessary to rid yourself of those weeds, knowing those weeds will interrupt the growth of your seed.
If you knew the negative words coming out of your mouth was affecting the seeds you have sown, would you stop saying them? Would you dig those words out, pull them up, and do whatever was necessary to stop saying them?
You cannot be thankful and negative at the same time. You must choose.
Thanksgiving isn’t always the first thought that comes to mind when you find yourself in a difficult situation, I realize that. However, we can cultivate thanksgiving to the point that it IS the first thing that comes out of our mouth.
That’s what cultivating is all about and it takes effort. You will have to choose to be thankful when your flesh doesn’t want to be.
You will have to choose to give thanks to God when you would rather complain and murmur.
I remember one time when I was in the midst of a very challenging season. I knew my words held great power and I had to be careful of what was coming out of my mouth, especially at the times I was weary and tired from the battle. Therefore I made myself say, ‘Father, I thank You that one day I will be thankful for the way You have brought me and for walking through this season with me, today, I give thanks for that.’ It was all I could say at that moment, and it kept me from being negative and complaining.
We are in a Kairos season in God. We want you to receive ALL God has for you. God has given us a key today to increase the capacity to receive all He has for us. Cultivate a heart of giving thanks.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says; “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
This does not say to give thanks FOR all circumstances but IN all circumstances…we can always find something to be thankful for.
Colossians 3:15 says; “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”
Peace truly does rule in your heart when you are thankful….these two go together. Be thankful and you will walk in a greater realm of peace. And remember, thankfulness is tied to your capacity to receive; cultivate thankfulness and increase your capacity to receive.
