Thanks Be to Thee

"TGIF to all!" we wrote at the start of a recent Friday afternoon online poker tournament.

"What is TGIF" someone wrote in response. That seemed surprising. We figured that's an acronym everybody knows. But National League of Poker tournaments can have players from around the world, so maybe not.

"Thank God it's Friday," we explained. But then we added: "(Personally, I thank Him for every day.)"

"LOL ME2" the other person replied.

Have you thanked God for this day? For any recent day? It's a good thing to do, even though Thanksgiving Day is four months off in Canada and five in the U.S.

But hold on, you might say -- I just lost big bucks in a cash game on a bad beat, or what looked like a misdeal. At those moments, it's admittedly hard to be thankful. But at least you left the table with something -- with life, health and the potential to try again next time. Those still are good reasons for thanking God at the end of the night, and the start of the next day.

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus," Paul recommends in I Thessalonians 5:18. A thankful attitude can help in the process described several verses later -- as God sanctifies us to "be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (verse 23).

Don't resist the cleansing power of God. Be thankful for it, and engage in thanks-living every day.