by Kelly Dixon
Reading: Psalm 40:1-3
What is this new song that David speaks about in Psalm 40:3? I ponder this question often as I look at the experiences I have had in my life. However, this Thanksgiving it is one that has brought me to be thankful for the lessons the Lord teaches me through those experiences. As I think of Thanksgiving I am thankful for my husband, our girls and our families. I am thankful for my church family at Miccosukee UMC, my extended church families at Old Mt. Pleasant UMC and John Wesley UMC, and the ladies who make up the LFJ Leadership Team. I am thankful for the ones who we have ministered to and have ministered to us through these ministries. Thanksgiving personally brings to mind a time of remembrance for me of when the Lord taught me a great spiritual lesson just three years ago on thanksgiving morning of 2006. This year I focus my thanksgiving on what the Lord has done in my life and the lessons He has taught me over the last three years since that Thanksgiving. It has brought joy to my soul to reflect upon them. While some where quite painful, in the end I could see His loving hand guiding the experience to teach me more about Him and draw me closer to Him.
When we are thankful for the lessons the Lord has given us in our lives it puts more of a perspective on whom we are and Who we serve. While thankfulness for family and experiences in our lives are important, it is when we reflect upon the lessons we learned from these that brings spiritual growth. Otherwise, what good is the experience if we have learned nothing?
The other night I heard an awesome testimony from a lady who has experienced horrendous things in her life. What stands out the most in my mind about her testimony was how she kept reflecting on the lessons the Lord taught her through the experiences. I greatly admire her for sharing God’s work in her life! As Christians, so many times we look back at “bad things” that happen in our lives and afterwards see how the Lord was there helping us through them. But when we leave it there and reflect only on Him being there at that time, we will tend to be only be thankful for the experience and the strength He gave us to endure not the lessons we learned from the experience. During this thanksgiving season, I want to take it a step further and encourage you to join me in furthering our thanksgiving to the Lord by reflecting on the lessons we learned and be thankful for them as well. Reflecting upon these lessons is a humbling undergoing that points our heart towards Christ instead of how we endured. So what is the new song that David speaks about? It is the lessons we have learned. For through these lessons, the Lord puts a new song in our lives and the sharing of them is what draws others to the Lord and leads them to trust in Him!
Prayer: Father, I am grateful for many things in my life. You have blessed me in many ways. This thanksgiving I want to thank You for the lessons You have taught me in my life. I don’t only want to look back at the experiences and reflect upon how I endured, but I want to reflect upon how You strengthened me and brought me through giving me lessons that have placed a new song on my lips. I love You! Amen.
