Today, we begin a short message series called “Overcoming the Blues.” Beginning this week, we are entering the holiday season of Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is a wonderful time of year. Yet, this year the holiday season may be a time of stress and tension over financial concerns due to our slow economy for many. Sometimes, the holidays bring difficulties with relatives into focus. For others, the remembrance of close friends of relatives who are no longer with us can lead to sadness.
Those circumstances or other negative situations can easily cause a person to feel down, blue or depressed. Anybody here ever felt blue over the holidays? Felt like the song “Blue Christmas”? God doesn’t want you feeling blue. He wants you to overcome the blues.
Philippians 4:4 (NIV) Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
The Bible commands us to rejoice in the Lord at all times. It’s impossible to be blue when you are rejoicing. So today, we’re going to look at a foundational key to overcoming the blues and living a life of joy, a life of rejoicing in the Lord.
My message this week is entitled “Developing a Thankful Heart.” This week we have Thanksgiving coming up and so we’d like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. I believe that the truth at the heart of the true meaning of thanksgiving is a key to overcoming the blues.
Way back in 1777, the Continental Congress made this proclamation regarding Thanksgiving “Congress recommends a day of thanksgiving and praise so that the people may express the grateful feelings of their hearts and join their prayers that it may please God, through the merits of Jesus Christ, to forgive our sins and to enlarge His kingdom which consists in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.”
That sounds pretty good doesn’t it? That proclamation was based on God’s Word. However, to be honest, what comes easier to us than giving thanks is complaining. If you think back to the times you’ve felt blue, you’ll probably remember that there was something or someone that you were complaining about. Complaining and feeling down go together.
On the other hand, God’s Word tells us not only to rejoice always but to give thanks always.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV) give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
I believe that a thankful heart is a key to overcoming the blues and rejoicing always. Some of you may be thinking, how can I rejoice and be thankful when my situation is not very good? I’ve got a lot of problems in my life, not much if anything to be thankful for.
Today, we’re going to look at story from Jesus’ life to understand how you can be thankful no matter what your circumstances may be.
Listen to or watch my November 20, 2011 message Developing a Thankful Heart.