Upper Room | Devotional

Thursday, October 09, 1997

Thank God!
Read Philippians 1:3-11
I thank my God every time I remember you.

-Philippians 1:3 (NRSV)
After almost 24 years of marriage, I found myself sometimes critical of my wife, Pat, in both my thoughts and my words. I could tell my words hurt her, just as hers sometimes made me feel I was unappreciated.
Then one day in my quiet time I read Philippians 1:3 and realized how blessed I have been to have someone love me for all these years in spite of my many faults. Although Paul was writing to the Philippians, this verse seemed like it should be my guide for how to live my life. So I began making the effort to thank God every time I thought of Pat, especially if the initial thought was not a pleasant one.
What a change! Instead of anger and bitterness about unimportant matters, I was filled with joy as I remembered all the blessings God has brought into my life through Pat.
Thanks be to God for all of the good and lasting relationships in our lives!
Carl Wasson (Virginia)

Dear God, help us recognize and acknowledge the many blessings for which we can be thankful. Amen.

Living by God's word makes good relationships even better.

Marriage partners

| October 8, 1997 | October 9, 1997 | October 10, 1997 |

© 1996-2010 The Upper Room®. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Upper Room® and design logos are trademarks owned by The Upper Room, Nashville, TN.

Read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

Sign up to receive our

Now Free!

Read The Upper Room

Upper Room Print Readers: We have heard you!
Thanks for taking the survey! We will be bringing the Prayer Focus and the designation of the days of the week back to the pages of The Upper Room. Watch for them in July/August 2010. (If you are missing the prayer focus, you can receive it every day on Twitter. Follow us on Twitter.) More»
Living into the Answers: An Online Workshop on Personal Spiritual Discernment
Are you facing a decision? How do you know what God wants you to do? Join Upper Room authors Valerie K. Isenhower & Judith A. Todd in the online workshop: "Living into the Answers: A Workshop on Personal Spiritual Discernment." (May 10-21, 2010.) Sign up now for this special event. More»
Start Your Meetings with a Devotional
Use The Upper Room to start each meeting out right -- connecting to God. Use this list of topics of meditations from the current issue of the magazine to help match the meditation to the meeting. More»
Writers Workshops Led by Upper Room Editors
Looking for ways to sharpen your writing skills? Workshops led by editors from The Upper Room magazine will be offered at a number of regional writers� conferences in 2010. More»