An Attitude of Gratitude

Dear Friends,

Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 that we are to "Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." (NLT)

It's easy to be thankful when all is well with us, but it's another story when we are in the middle of difficult circumstances. If you are having a tough time right now, you may be thinking that you don't even want to read about being thankful.  There's a part of me that would agree with you.  Once I had made the decision that this post would be about giving thanks to God and having a gratitude attitude I hit a bump in the road.  I've been battling with depression for years and it regularly rears its ugly head.  When it hits I don't really feel like being thankful and I certainly don't want to write about it!  Besides, how can I write about something that I'm not doing? 

But I felt God was saying to go ahead and write it anyway.  So I write even though I haven't yet achieved what I write about.  And that's ok because being a Christian is about being on a journey, it's about our daily walk with God.  Whatever part of the journey you and I are on,  the truth of God's word does not change and we need to know God's truth.  So, I am writing this for myself as much as I am writing it for you, and believe me, I know how challenging it is!

The bible, especially the Psalms, is full of examples and exhortations to give thanks to God, David says in Psalm 7:17 "I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High." (NIV)  Expressing gratitude to God is an act of the will, it's a choice we can make despite how we feel.  Expressing gratitude may not change our circumstances but it will change our hearts. 

If I focus on my problems and difficulties, the bigger they seem and the worse I feel.  Then it's almost impossible to express any gratitude to God because my feelings have taken over control and I have allowed them to do so.  Instead, I need to make the choice that I will give thanks to God.  There is so much I can give thanks to God for: his constant presence with me, his strength, his love, my life in him, my husband who is fulfilling his vow to love me "in sickness and in health", my children, my home, the food I have to eat and the clothes I wear, friends to laugh with and share with, the close relationship I share with my sister and my parents, my love of reading and writing, a bible to read, and the list goes on...

A wonderful thing begins to happen, as I chose to give thanks, as I choose to express an attitude of gratitude, I actually begin to feel more grateful, and begin to see more clearly just how much I have be grateful for.  God has given me so much and it's easy to forget it or take it for granted.  That's why I need to choose to live my life with an attitude of gratitude, and the more I exercise this attitude, the healthier that attitude, and I, will be. 

Positive thinking and reading self-help books won't give us the power to live a life of gratitude.  The good news is, we have been given the Holy Spirit and he is the one who gives us the power we need to make the choice to express the gratitude attitude. 

To Think About:
Ask God to help you develop an attitude of gratitude despite your difficult circumstances and the way you may be feeling.

Take some time out with God and give him your thanks for all he has given you, be specific, include everything the Holy Spirit brings to your mind.  For example, if you're thankful for a particular relationship, tell him why you're thankful. What happens when you do this?

Read Psalm 103 as an aid to expressing your gratitude to God.

Vicki

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