Who Are the People You Are Thankful For, and Do They Know It?
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In the opening to the book of Philippians, Paul writes these words to the church in Philippi.
As we mentioned earlier, Paul had a deep affection for the Philippian church and they truly held a special place in his heart. As we turn the light inward, I want to ask you this question.
Who are you thanking God for?
There is not one person who has ever done anything in life who can say with honesty they got there all on their own. Somebody helped them along the way. In your life, think of the people who have had an impact in your life, your walk with God, your ministry, who have helped you get where you are. Think of all the people who came alongside you and challenged, corrected, and poured into you. They all contributed to you becoming the person you are and helped you get to where you are today.
Are you thanking God every time you remember these people? If you are not, then you need to, because this is how God orchestrates and moves people in and out of your life, each one affecting a part of your life’s journey.
Once you have identified those people, now it is time to take it one step further – let them know. Think about it, have you shared with this person or people the impact their input has had on your life and your walk with God? If you haven’t now is the time to do it.
One thing I have learned on this journey is that those who encourage others need to be encouraged as well. Paul took the time to write this letter under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Imagine how the Philippian church felt getting a letter from Paul and the one of the first things he says is “I thank God for you every time I remember you.” If there is someone in your life like this, then let them know.
I would like to challenge you with a little assignment. I would call it homework, but we are not in a classroom. Think about all those people who have been a blessing and encouragement in your life along the way, and reach out to them. You can send them a text, an email, a phone call, or even a good old-fashioned letter.
However you choose to do it, simply let them know that you thank God for how they have made a difference in your life. I can promise you this will be a blessing and an encouragement to them. Let’s make sure we never stop encouraging those who have been an encouragement to us, and let’s get into the habit of thanking God for those who have helped us along the way. The longer you live the longer this list will grow, which simply means there will be more people to thank.
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