Thanksgiving in the Midst of a StormSample

3 KEYS TO THRIVING IN THE MIDST OF A STORM

There may be storms in your life everywhere you look today. You may wonder what’s going to happen. You may feel alone or overwhelmed, and it’s doubly hard during the holiday season. Things may seem hopeless or impossible.

But nothing is impossible with God! I promise you that today is not a life sentence, in spite of what the devil or circumstances may tell you. These storms are subject to change! Here are 3 keys to bring you out of top of what you’re going through:

1) Cast your cares on God - First Peter 5:7 says, “You can throw the whole weight of your anxieties upon him, for you are his personal concern” (Phillips). When you’re carrying a care (worrying, fretting, losing sleep) God can’t carry it. It’s the same as if you were carrying a suitcase – if you had it, I couldn’t carry it for you. God can’t do anything about your problems if you’re carrying them. Throw them over onto Him!

That doesn’t mean “cast them and forget” -- it means “cast them and believe.” Keep your nose buried in the promises of God (the Bible) and trust that He is working. Then don’t pick them back up again -- keep them cast over onto Him! Refuse to worry or doubt.

2) Change focus – Look more at God’s promises than what’s happening around you. Focus more on the promises, less on the problems. Don’t let the storm be the biggest thing in your view – let God be! Remember your Father God is bigger than any problem or storm. Instead of magnifying the storm, magnify the Lord (Psalm 34:3).

3) Give thanks – Did you know that you can thank and praise your way out of a storm? Over and over the Bible tells us to “give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” Forever certainly extends to what you’re going through now! So begin to thank Him, for all He has done and all He is doing in your life. Thanksgiving and praise open the door for the supernatural. It magnifies God and what He’s doing. It demonstrates your trust and faith in God. It puts you in position to receive, which is a good position to be in!