Exuberant Thanksgiving

 

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him… overflowing with thankfulness.” (Col.2:6-7).

Lately, Holy Spirit has been talking to me about the practice of thanksgiving. The thing is, I have had an issue of pain that has been bothering me for about ten years. Being thankful in that circumstance has been both a challenge and a growth opportunity for me.

To be more specific, the pain has been in my right elbow, and it has interrupted my sleep on more nights than I care to count. On one such occasion a couple weeks ago, however, Holy Spirit was poised and ready to impart to me a life-changing truth.

I have to give you some background information first though, for this story to make sense. That day, I had been scrolling on Instagram. A “Suggested for You” reel popped up and I paused to watch it. In it, a little girl of maybe four years old was exuberantly telling her parents about how Jesus healed her after she prayed. 

She was over-the-top excited, dancing around in a circle and exclaiming, “Thank You, God! Thank You, God! Thank You, God! Thank You, God! Ayelujah! Ayelujah! I’m happy with JOY!!! I love You God!!!” (If you would like to watch the reel yourself, here is a link to do so). Her mispronunciation of “hallelujah” was as endearing as the rest of her jubilant expression. I smiled but didn’t think much else about it. 

Fast-forward to that night. Once again, the elbow pain pulled me out of sleep, this time at 1:00 in the morning. Groggily, I winced and sighed. Here we go again. 

I routinely listen to soft-spoken Bible teachers to go to sleep at night. When I need extra help getting back to sleep, I have also habitually turned them on. This was one of those circumstances that warranted it. Squinting with sleepy eyes, I found a sermon from 2011 and pressed play.

Instead of sinking back into sleep, I nearly sat up straight in bed. The preacher began his teaching with the exact same video of the little girl that I had watched that afternoon on Instagram! What are the chances of that? I thought excitedly. Wide-eyed in the dark, I listened to her praise Jesus all over again. “Thank You, God! Thank You, God! Thank You, God! Ayelujah!!” 

Holy Spirit had my full attention. “What are You wanting to communicate to me through this?” I asked Him. I lay there, listening. Not too far into the sermon, I had His answer. The preacher stated, “We need to thank God — before we get the answers to our prayers — with the same level of exuberance that we would exude when they are already answered.”

Mic drop. I hear You, Holy Spirit, loud and clear. 

The next morning, I got out of bed and obeyed. I had a dance party in my room. I danced in a circle and thanked God loudly and enthusiastically. I copied everything the little girl said, word for word, imitating her jubilant energy. I thanked Him for healing my elbow as if it were already healed.

Mind you, exuberance is not my natural M.O. I have a quiet personality. I am extremely calm, just about all of the time. So, this was an extra big effort for me. I have to tell you, though, the joy surge that I experienced upon doing so was amazing! 

Not only that, but I have been practicing exuberant thanksgiving these several weeks since then. It has made an indescribably significant difference in my life. I have been experiencing this bubbling joy coming up through my spirit that is brand new and so life-giving.

Have I still had elbow pain since then? Yes, I have. However, Holy Spirit is doing a deep work in me. He is helping me thank God with all my heart even when I have woken up in the night in pain. And with this comes supernatural joy! I am smiling just thinking about it. 

I believe with all my heart that He intends to bring about my healing through the flow of His Spirit that is coming in new ways into my life through exuberant thanksgiving.

“16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thess. 5:16-19).

(P.S. Do you see the connection between verses 16-18… and verse 19? Rejoicing and praying and giving thanks are God’s provision to tap into the flowing rivers of living waters in our lives… the absence of these three practices quenches Him!)

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How has the regular practice of thanksgiving enhanced your life? I’d love to hear your experiences in this area.