Worksheet Download – 3things
Not so long ago, the ICE Primary team did an assembly focusing on part of the life of Corrie Ten Boom. Many readers will know of her incredible and inspirational faith and the dire circumstances she often found herself in.
During the assembly, we focused on how she and her sister, Betsie, found themselves facing the challenge of imprisonment. Betsie and Corrie learned that God was helping them to be thankful for everything, even the fleas in their cell served a purpose in keeping the strict guards away, allowing Corrie and Betsie the freedom to share their faith with their fellow inmates!
It’s hard to imagine being thankful for fleas, but the Bible encourages us to ‘Give thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ.’ (Ephesians 5:20)
That doesn’t mean that everything in our lives will be good, I’m sure the fleas in the cell still bit! But an attitude of thankfulness can often turn a grim situation into one where we can find a sense of peace.
That doesn’t mean that everything in our lives will be good, I’m sure the fleas in the cell still bit! But an attitude of thankfulness can often turn a grim situation into one where we can find a sense of peace.
Social isolation and the worries around COVID-19 don’t seem like things many of us are thankful for, but maybe there are things God can teach us through these difficult times that we just wouldn’t learn. We don’t have to see the good in the virus…but maybe we can see the good in these opportunities to reach out, stay in touch and help the most vulnerable. Maybe…just maybe…we’ll become the kind of people who don’t take the company of our friends for granted anymore.
As we face challenges of feeling isolated and having less freedom in our day to day lives, perhaps we can find a way to encourage each other to be thankful, even for the difficult things.
Use our downloadable reflection activity sheet to list or draw three things you’re thankful for, the obvious things like the sunnier spring weather, our comfy beds etc. Then think of three things you’re worried about, spend sometime thinking how you might be able to turn that into something you can be thankful for…what might God be able to bring out of that worry? Lastly, think of three things that you want to learn, it could be a new recipe, a new dance routine, or perhaps just learning some patience with those we’re isolated with at home!
Pin the sheet to your fridge or somewhere you’ll be able to see it and be reminded.
It takes work to be thankful, even for the good things, but let’s see if we can start with just three things…
Worksheet Download – 3things