An Attitude Of Gratitude

Thanksgiving was this past Thursday and many of us celebrated with family and friends.  We ate a lot of good food, talked, laughed and had fun with our loved ones. When Thanksgiving comes around, we usually take the time to reflect on the things we are thankful for, but we should reflect on our blessings every day. It’s important that we, as Christians, develop an attitude of gratitude. The definition for gratitude [according to Cambridge dictionary] is “having a strong feeling of appreciation to someone or something for what the person has done to help you.” We should express to God every day our appreciation for all that he has done for us. Especially for the things he has blessed us with that we did not deserve.

You should make being thankful a habit in 2020. We need to be thankful for everything that happens in our lives. Thankful that we woke up in the morning. Thankful that we have a bed to sleep in every night. Thankful we have a job. Thankful we have a God who loves us. We should show gratitude for everything that God has blessed us with every single day.

Having an attitude of gratitude is good for your health. When we focus on the positive things in life it changes how we respond to life’s challenges. Being in the habit of thankfulness helps reduce stress. A positive attitude causes us to worry less and have less anxiety. Choosing to focus on the positive gives us a different perspective when dealing with life’s challenges.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 it says, “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Being thanking is something God expects us to be. He expects us to be thankful on the good days and the bad days. Whatever we are going through we need to have an attitude of gratitude.

Starting on December 1, I am going to write down at LEAST one thing I am grateful for everyday in my journal and I challenge you to do the same. This is a useful exercise to start the new year off on a positive note and get you in the habit of actively practicing thankfulness. When you begin to feel down or when challenges come, get out your journal and remind yourself how God has blessed you recently. Let’s leave 2019 feeling blessed and highly favored, no matter our circumstances and enter the new year ready to tackle anything life throws our way.

LSW