Friday, March 23, 2012

Give Thanks in all Circumstances

Be Thankful:

For Life.
Each year, there are estimated to be 42 million induced abortions. Children who will never get a chance.

For Water.
783 million people live without safe water. 11% of the world’s population.
African families survive on an average of 5 gallons of water each day IF lucky, while Americans use an average of 176 gallons each day.
 

For Food.
in 2010, 925 million people made the ‘hungry people of the world’ chart.
925 million people go hungry each day while 25% of Americans consume fast-food daily.
Americans spend on average nearly 100$ billion dollars on fast-food each year.

For Education.
In the world today there are approximately 1 billion non-literate adults. 26% of the world’s population.
the average American takes their ability to read for granted as they spend
about 9 years worth of time watching TV in a lifetime, and only 20, 748 minutes reading
(that’s 346 hrs...that’s 15 days... in a lifetime!!!)

For Electricity.
79% of people in 3rd world countries have NO access to electricity.
That’s about 1.5 billion people.
¼ of the world’s population.

For Jobs and Financial Income.
The average American household will make $2,316,300 in a lifetime.
In Uganda, the average household will make $8000 in a lifetime.
That is a difference of 2 MILLION, 308 THOUSAND, and 300 dollars...

For Peace and Safety.
On average, 1 in 5 countries is affected by war or civil conflict.


 

Not hitting close enough to home?! That’s okay (catch the sarcasm here...), the average person can shrug this information off within a few hours because they do not feel it applies to their culture or life conditions as they have been born and raised with these things; therefore, it does not make them feel thankful or blessed for their circumstances. Alright, so let’s get more personal...


Be thankful:

For God’s Grace.
They say about 33% of the world’s population is Christian.
However let’s take into account that MANY take the title but FEW truly live it and have a transforming relationship with Christ.
This leaves about 66% (probably more) of the world that does. Not. Know. God.
*by GRACE you are saved*
be thankful that God revealed his light to you and that you do not need to walk in darkness.
be thankful that you have been offered an eternity in heaven with Jesus Christ.


For Health.
around 28% of children in developing countries are underweight or stunted.
In the world about 40 million people have HIV/AIDS.
There are 350-500 million cases of malaria each year.
Every year 1.8 million children die from diarrhoea.
In 2002, there were about 1500 deaths per day in the USA due to cancer.

For Shelter.
640 million children live without shelter.
In 2005, 1 in 3 urban dwellers (about 1 billion people) were living in slum conditions.

For Wealth.
*even when you don’t consider yourself wealthy*
1 in 9 children live in poverty in Canada.
In 2005 there were about 150 000 homeless individuals in Canada.
The average Canadian household has 2 vehicles.
I guess this may depend on what you consider to be ‘wealthy’, if wealth to you is living each day with enough – then I think you should consider yourself wealthy. If you are going to compare your financial stability to the rich people around you, of course you are going to feel poor. Just remember those in 3rd world countries are comparing their financial stability to people like you – the average citizen – and they feel beyond poor. What you  spend on fast food each week could change some lives. Just something to think about. If you were poor, you wouldn’t be spending money on fast-food, gas, movies, clothes, extra foods and drinks, pleasures etc. If you have enough – you are wealthy.

  
Anyways. Just food for thought. This isn’t meant to be a guilt trip, or to make you feel bad for the life you have. It’s also not to meant to make you feel like your struggles and challenges don’t count. BUT it is meant to make you realize and remember to be thankful. You are blessed. You should always be able to find something to be thankful for. Family, Friends, Health, Security, or whatever it may be. God will always provide for you what you need.

“God’s plans for your life far exceed the circumstances of your day”

“God’s plans for your life far exceed the circumstances of your day”
No matter what situation you’re in, no matter what challenges you face every day; God is always and will always be bigger. He will always be stronger. He will always be there.

Awhile ago I came across a quote that said something like this, “If you believe God has a purpose for your life, then you must believe that He will bring you there also.” How true is that? At the end of each day, we must choose to believe – truly believe – that God has a plan and that he is walking alongside of us, taking us to where we need to be and changing us into who he needs us to be. No matter what we faced that day; every day can throw a curve ball and every week can feel like a kick in the stomach when things seem to be going downhill, but God is always bigger and he will always be stronger then the pulls coming against us.

Choose to be thankful. There is ALWAYS something to be thankful for. In my daily life – though it’s so easy to forget and it’s so easy to take much for granted, I have much to be thankful for. I am blessed. My life just looks different from those around me, but God has blessed me greatly. If you are constantly comparing your life, your possessions, and your accomplishments to others around you – you will always find someone who is ‘better off’. Who are you trying to please? God calls us to be thankful for what we have and to use our blessings to glorify him. We are called to live righteously... whether we are rich or poor – it doesn’t really matter. Live a life pleasing to the Lord. Riches don’t mean blessings, even the rich can earn their treasures in an unrighteous way – are we trying to please God? Or are we just trying to be rich? I guess in the end we need to truly be thankful – truly realize and believe that we have immeasurably more then what we deserve – and live life in a way that gives all that we have and all that we are back to God.

No matter what – God can and He will. It doesn’t matter how much money you have, how high a status, how popular or known you are. It doesn’t matter how beautiful you are considered to be, it doesn’t matter how healthy you are, it doesn’t matter where you live or who you live with. It doesn’t matter the challenges you face, the inflictions put upon you – God can work through anything. At the end of each day, no matter how frustrated you are or how happy you are – God is there. There is no need to feel alone when life is hard, and there is no need to walk alone when life is great... God is always there. Don’t allow your idea of ‘good’ to be affected by money or success or accomplishments in the world eyes. Live for God alone. He will take you places and he will carry you when you fall. His plans cannot be thwarted. Seek him and him alone.