The Upper Room 24th November 2022 Devotional, Thursday Message by Cindy C. Ragland (Virginia, USA)
TOPIC: Ever Thankful
TODAY’S READING
Psalm 107:1-9
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
My outlook improves when I focus on God’s love and provision.
PRAYER FOCUS
For awareness of God’s blessings
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. – James 1:17 (NIV)
The Upper Room Daily Devotional MESSAGE
My daughter loves to decorate for Thanksgiving. Each year, she fills our dining room with string lights, decorative turkeys, and fall foliage. One year she started a new tradition of taking a photo of each family member with an instant camera as they arrived for dinner. She asked everyone to write what they were most thankful for at the bottom of their photo. She then displayed the pictures during dinner, and they became the topic of conversation that year. As our family talked about our blessings and the many things we had to be thankful for, we became overwhelmed with gratitude.
As we face daily pressures and stress, it is hard to focus on the many gifts God provides. It’s easy to believe that good things happen as a result of our own work, but James 1:17 reminds us that every good gift is from God. How might our outlook change if we spent more time each day focusing on our blessings and giving thanks for God’s love and faithfulness? Psalm 107:1 says, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” Even on our worst days, when everything seems broken, we can find peace in God’s love and give thanks for God’s many blessings.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear God, open our eyes and hearts to recognize the many gifts and blessings you provide each day. Thank you for your constant love and provision. Amen.
The Upper Room 24th November 2022 Devotional Message. The Upper Room is a daily devotional magazine published in more than 30 languages and 100 countries around the world. The daily meditations are written by readers of the magazine and others interested in sharing their faith experiences through writing—both laity and clergy, published authors and new writers. Read More