Think about this...When you want something. I mean really desire something. Maybe it is an object; a new vehicle, a nice camera (canon rebel XT :-) for example), an expensive pair of shoes, etc. Or Maybe it is a prayer you are asking for; healing in your body, someone to be saved, lost loved ones, healing for someone else... The list will vary from one person to another. But just take a minute or two right now to think of something that you truly desired and eventually did obtain. Don't keep reading until you think of this thing...I mean it.
Okay now after you reflect back...Think about how long you asked or prayed for this thing or event to occur. Days, months, maybe years it may have took you to obtain this event or item.
When you did obtain it or the prayer was answered...Did you spend all the following time after being thankful for the occurrence. Days, months, or maybe years? If you prayed for that loved one to come to church for 5 years, day after day, service after service. Then they showed up. Did you thank the Lord for the remaining 5 years that they were able to experience His presence? What a sobering thought especially for me...because I know personally how much the Lord has done in my life and how little thankfulness I have given Him compared with how much time I put in to praying for things to happen.
I think we tend to ask God to do things for us and suddenly when it happens...we forget why it occur ed and who was in charge of it all. If we spend a year asking for something to happen...we should spend the following year being extremely thankful. In fact we should be as fervently thankful as we were praying for it to happen. So lets even it out some at least time wise. If you ask for something for 5 days and it comes to pass...follow it up with 5 days of thankfulness. When asking for a healing and it takes 1 month for it to occur, be thankful for the whole month after as much as you would have prayed for healing. We could never be as thankful to God for the things He does for us but we can at least try to equal out our time here on earth being thankful.
Remember the lepers Jesus healed:
Luk 17:12
And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
Luk 17:13
And they lifted up [their] voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
Luk 17:14
And when he saw [them], he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
Luk 17:15
And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
Luk 17:16
And fell down on [his] face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
Luk 17:17
And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where [are] the nine?
Luk 17:18
There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
Luk 17:19
And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
Out of 10, one showed his thankfulness. Now I know we are thankful but do we spend the time telling God, just how thankful we really are. If you spend the time in prayer requesting God to move in your life...when He does move and answer your request...spend an equal amount of time being thankful. Really appreciate what God does for you, because He doesn't have to do anything, but He chooses to bless you!
So give equal amounts of thankfulness in return for God answering your prayers.
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