I feel immensely thankful for my life. No, really I am really thankful to be alive, you see four years ago I died twice in the St. Joseph emergency room after I passed out in the Savannah Walmart from a drug overdose and renal failure. I am thankful that God saved my life and not only delivered me from drugs, alcohol and smoking cigarettes but from sexual sin as well. I am thankful that God gave me a second chance and that I have the breath of life. I am thankful that I am alive to share the love and forgiveness that God showed me in hopes to that you will accept Jesus Christ into your heart and life. Now It’s easy to be grateful when circumstances turn out well, but thankfulness doesn’t have to be limited just to the good times. Not only is it possible to be thankful in difficulties, it’s also beneficial. Thankful people cope better than those who grumble and complain. If you want gratitude to be a part of how you think, eat, drink, dress, talk, walk, and more, then, you are majorly looking at a complete change of lifestyle. Making GRATITUDE a part of your life comes up with a huge responsibility of continuously being able to appreciate all that has been given to you.
How, then, can you develop an attitude of gratitude when life is tough? The letters of "gratitude" give us some clues:
Give praise to God at all times. Praise takes your focus off yourself and places it on Him. Despite our changing circumstances, He never changes, so we can always praise Him for who He is.
Remember what God has done. Bringing to mind some of the things God has done in the past can be a stimulus to offer gratitude for what He is doing now and will do in the future.
Always be thankful. God’s will for us involves giving thanks in all circumstances (1 Thess. 5:18). If we want our lives to be in line with God’s will for us, let’s be thankful – always!
Trust God completely. This can be one of the hardest things to do when life is difficult. Not knowing why something is happening or how long it’s likely to continue can challenge even the deepest faith. However, God cautions us about leaning on our own understanding and invites us to trust Him wholeheartedly (Prov. 3:5).
Intentionally choose your attitude. There are many things that are beyond our control, but choosing our attitude is something we can control. Why not exercise that choice today?
Think before you grumble and complain. A grumbling and complaining attitude can so easily become the default response to situations that we don’t like. Instead, think “attitude of gratitude.”
Understand that attitudes are learned. It takes time to develop a consistent attitude of gratitude, so don’t be discouraged when it doesn’t happen immediately.
Develop friendships with positive, encouraging people. Attitudes are contagious and, sometimes unconsciously, we take on how other people feel about a situation. We need to surround ourselves with grateful people who will encourage us to do likewise.
Enjoy God’s blessings. Ever tried naming specific ways that God has blessed you? Write these down, perhaps beginning with three, moving on to ten, twenty, or even more! Make these a focus for regularly thanking God, updating your list as time goes on.
I hope you are encouraged you to look around you and at your life and have an
“Attitude of Gratitude” this holiday season!
