Thanksgiving comes early

I apologize for the tremendously overdue post. I have been away for quite some time as I was attending a retreat in South Korea. I received so much grace and inspiration that I can't help but want to share. As I prayed about this post, I could only be thankful for everything that I had received and was inspired to share a thanksgiving prayer. Don't worry, I'll give you the shortened version so that you don't end up reading forever.

I get it, you're thankful.

God,
I am so thankful for all that you do for me. When I think about my life, I cannot help but see your love and be thankful endlessly.

When I wanted to go to Korea I did not have the money and I had no choice but to spend an entire summer of precious time working. But when I prayed to you with an earnest and sincere heart for many months you heard my prayer. Thank you God for listening to the pleas of a mere human being.

Though for many months my prayer seemed to go unanswered and my parents denied me any help when I first presented the idea, you never forgot the prayers I offered you and after two months, you moved my father's heart to pay for my ticket. Thank you for helping me value the gifts that you give me. Your thoughts are truly higher than my own.

But even then, out of the tremendous love in your heart, did not stop blessing me at this one point. You kept me safe until I reached Korea and provided a guide for me when I arrived. Before I even went to sleep on the first day you gave me a complete meal that took hours to prepare by inspiring the heart of another believer to want to share with me, a foreigner. Thank you for making realize the kind of love that you have for me continuously.

Though I only know how to say "Thank you" in Korean, you gave me an interpreter so I would never be lost. And even the times I was without an interpreter you helped me to understand people through the movements in my heart. Thank you God for never leaving my side.

I thank you for letting me contribute to your Will on earth by working to make a beautiful place of worship in the hot summer heat. Even though sweat ran down my forehead like bullets from a Tommy gun, you fed me and gave me water at the times I was most thirsty through other workers and prevented me from getting heat stroke. And through working you helped me to realize the value of that place of worship and understand the heart with which you first sacrificed for me Thank you.

God, during the retreat messages and times of praise it rained so much and I was really cold, but when I look back at that time I realize that you worked through the rain to make the performances even more beautiful. The times when the praise was intense you rained intensely upon us. The times when the praise was somber you rained a drizzle on us. It was truly miraculous. When I saw the performers give praise to you despite the rain I realized that your mentality is like that too. Thank you for letting me realize about you. You are a great God, My God. Thank you.

You did so much for me that it would take an entire day to list out everything. And yet, because you are so incredibly humble, you do not tell me directly and instead let me realize about each thing in detail. Most human beings are indignant if they do something for someone and receive nothing in return. But you are different. Thank you for showing me what humility really means.

You were with me until the very day I left and returned home. When I tried to catch the bus when I got back to the US, you moved the bus drivers heart to stop so that I would make it home on time. He almost left because the time had come, but by your grace you saved me so much time and trouble. Thank you God.

As I give thanks to you God I cannot help but be moved by how much you do for me. I could pray for another hour but then I would not be able to testify about your love and your heart to endlessly give. So please, let's do it together.

I give thanks to the heavenly father who loves me with all His heart. Amen.

Thanksgiving prayer is perhaps one of the most character-changing prayers one can offer other than a prayer of repentance. Also, just like people really enjoy being thanked for what they do, when you thank God, he wants to give you even more. What is sad is that in this world, and especially America, we tend to find things to complain about rather easily.

Hey, why did you give me so much food and make me look like this?

But the great thing about thanksgiving is that you can do it endlessly, for free. And as much as you do it, you become happier. Free happiness? I don't really need fries with that. Many people dream of winning the lottery because they essentially get everything for free for the rest of their lives. But a better dream than that is to become an endlessly thankful person.