Scripture: 1Thessalonians 5:18: give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Meditation: As we enter the "Holiday Season"; where is our focus? Is it on the busyness of our lives; problems with jobs, kids or school? Is our focus on trials we may be going through? Or is it on Jesus Christ? Are we truly thankful for what God has done for us? This is one of the few verses in the Bible that tells us that something is "God's will" for us. It is God's will that we be thankful in all circumstances. It means that we look beyond the problems of the immediate to the realm of the eternal. To focus on the Lord and what He has done for us - to view our life through God's goodness rather than the world's ugliness. Is it always easy? No! It is something that we can only do through God's power. Paul new about the hardships of life, yet he was thankful and focused on the things of God, rather than the temporal problems and setbacks he might experience in this life.

Challenge: Do you give thanks in all circumstances? Do you thank the Lord for His goodness, even when going through trails? Being thankful isn't about the status of life; it's about the status of our heart - is your heart focused on the Lord and His goodness? Can you enter this holiday season with a heart grateful to God for His grace, His mercy, His provision?

Thought for the Day: I will give thanks to God - today and every day, no matter what my circumstances are.

E-votion, a weekly electronic publication by Chris Garner from Fortified Marriages