Several years ago, I attended a school seminar with guest speaker Hugh van Cuylenberg, who wrote the book “The Resilience Project: Finding Happiness through Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness”. Hugh expounds the benefits of gratitude in helping our overall wellbeing. He suggests three questions to ask ourselves to help us to be grateful: ‘What was the best thing that happened to me today?’ ‘Who am I most grateful for today and why?’ ‘What am I looking forward to most about tomorrow?’. I remember thinking to myself at the time that the importance and benefit of being grateful and thankful is not a new idea – it is quite Biblical! There are many verses that encourage us and compel us to give thanks to God for the many blessings he showers on us, for his faithfulness and unfailing love.

This Sunday is ‘Thanksgiving Sunday’ in our church. It is a time to pause and reflect, a time to be awed by the ways God has been at work, allowing us to participate in all He is doing! It is a time to acknowledge the many blessings our Heavenly Father has given us. It is a time to be thankful for the challenges that have deepened our faith, for the trials that have demonstrated the presence of God and the love and support of his people. It is a time to be grateful, to thank God for His loving faithfulness, in our lives, in our church, in our community.

As we reflect on the year that has been, let’s ask ourselves these three questions as we give thanks to our loving God, the Giver of all good gifts: ‘What were the best things that happened in our church this last year?’ ‘Who am I most grateful for in our church and why?’ ‘What am I looking forward to most about the coming year at UPBC?’

I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.  Psalm. 9:1

Blessings,

Sarah

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash