Pouring Out Thanksgiving

A few years ago, I went to a trailer park in town that was known for extreme poverty. God had put it on our hearts to serve a Thanksgiving meal under a big tent for all the residents.

The day I got there, it was dreary and rainy, and we were enclosed in a big revival tent as we served a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Almost every family that came had sickness or pain in some form.

The following morning when I woke up, I felt puny. I knew immediately that I had contracted a virus while being enclosed in the tent with so many sick people.

As I prayed for wellness for myself and all of the families, I said to the Lord, “Lord, I know I got sick while I was just trying to serve these families.”

The Lord tenderly confirmed that I was correct. Because I had been in such close proximity to these families, I had indeed caught a virus.

This is hard to imagine, but the Lord actually said to me, “Kim, thank you for generously serving. Because of your faithfulness, those families poured out thanksgiving unto Me.”

I don’t recall another time in my life when I celebrated being sick with such vibrancy as I did that day! It was such an honor to hear the Lord giving thanks.

Anyway, last week I went to a revival service and the pastor was taking up an offering. He read verses from 2 Corinthians in the amplified translation and suddenly something clicked in me:

“Thus you will be enriched in all things and in every way, so that you can be generous, and [your generosity as it is] administered by us will bring forth thanksgiving to God. For the service that the ministering of this fund renders does not only fully supply what is lacking to the saints (God's people), but it also overflows in many [cries of] thanksgiving to God. Because at [your] standing of the test of this ministry, they will glorify God for your loyalty and obedience to the Gospel of Christ which you confess, as well as for your generous-hearted liberality to them and to all [the other needy ones]. And they yearn for you while they pray for you, because of the surpassing measure of God's grace (His favor and mercy and spiritual blessing which is shown forth) in you.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭9‬:‭11‬-‭14‬ ‭AMPC‬‬

God Himself is thankful when His people pour out in generosity. Our giving causes thanksgiving to rise to Him.

My personal word for this year is “Noble”. God has been speaking to me about the connection between a noble heart and a generous heart.

And this is one of the things I celebrate about the culture of JDLA. I am so thankful for the teaching and example of giving—not just our treasure, but our time and our gifting.

When we give, we honor our God. And somehow, in His goodness, He allows our generosity to become an offering of thanksgiving back to Him which brings blessing on the Earth. 

So, let’s exaggerate our thanksgiving this week!

Let’s be generous with our time. Generous with our encouragement. Generous with our gifts. Generous with our resources. Pray, generously for our nonprofits that are serving others.

Let’s give in such a way that thanksgiving rises to God.

Because when we pour out in generosity, we may never know just how much thanksgiving is being poured out to Him through our obedience.