By Darrel Geis, Overflowing Thankfulness
“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6-7 NIV
When was the last time you were overflowing with thankfulness? It often takes a life-threatening event flashing before our eyes before thanks begin to overflow….
That’s because an attitude of overflowing thankfulness usually requires a change in the perspective in our daily routine. Traumatic events often serve to change our perspective, and we suddenly have vision for what is truly valuable.
This came to life for me more than ever before in early May. I had just completed my final (6.2 mile) training run in preparation for a 10K race, when my heart monitor showed a seriously elevated heart rate. After my running partner called 911 and the paramedics arrived, I spent the better part of the ambulance ride to the ER suffering from the effects of heatstroke, and literally begging God to spare my life. God graciously met me at my point of greatest need and answered my prayer.
Months later, after many tests, my cardiologist prescribed medication and told me to “go enjoy my life.” Since then, I have not only been overflowing with thankfulness daily, but also have been working on slowing down — both literally and figuratively — my pace of life so that I can truly enjoy life and its abundant blessings with my wife and sons, while serving the body of Christ here at the Christian Blue Pages.
If you feel led to do so, I’d love to hear about your own personal experience of overflowing thankfulness too!