In an effort to emphasize the season of Thanksgiving, I’m celebrating it all through the month of November. Earlier I explained my 21 Days of Giving Thanks challenge (which you can read about here). It’s hard to believe Thanksgiving is only one day away! Today, let’s give thanks for something else we don’t usually anticipate- but we should.

Day 20 – Give Thanks for Future Friends

Tonight I will take my family and attend a Thanksgiving praise service with dozens of people we have met in just the last few months. God works in amazing and mysterious ways, and our new friendships remind us to be thankful for God’s sovereignty. Who knows what new friends he has in store for you in the next month? You will meet new people, develop new relationships, and find more joy and meaning than ever before because God has good plans for you when it comes to future friends. This may be especially meaningful for you if you are about to launch into a new chapter in your life. Turn to God, thank him for past and present friends, and trust him to establish good friendships in the future.

Learn from Ebenezer Scrooge and his encounter with Christmast past, present, and future; you have the responsiblity to create a positive, Christ-exulting influence on the direction your future friendships take. It’s always wise to remember, “Many seek the favor of a generous man, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts.” (Proverbs 19:6) You can score some serious “friend points” this Christmas! Wait… how did we get on Christmas? But seriously, it’s no mistake that in my posts on giving thanks I have focused on past friendships, present friendships, and future friendships. They are all good gifts from God, and his provision for us in past friendships gives us hope for future friendships.

Challenge: Thank God for your future friendships in light of past and present ones. Ask him to quiet your anxious heart regarding any current or future relational tension, remembering how he has directed in your friendships in the past.

CP