An Attitude of Gratitude

Summer Day 36

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7

An Attitude of Gratitude

Many of the studies I’ve read over this summer have been amazing exhortations to us women to not compare ourselves to others or not to degrade our abilities as mothers.  The enemy of our soul truly uses these pits to make us feel inferior and certainly ungrateful in our situations.  These struggles are real but when we give thanks to the lover of our souls we receive JOY.

Finding joy amidst trials and heartache can be accomplished! The action of giving “thanks” changes our perspective. Daily household duties, debt, and the drama of life can be overwhelming and leave us in despair.  However, going about our days with a purpose to find something to be thankful for will cause transformation in our lives!  Perhaps our burden won’t disappear, but our approach can be changed!  Shifting how we view things can help us to find that joyful place!  (Philippians 4:6)

New York Times Best Seller, Ann Voskamp counts her blessings in a very poetic book called “1,000 Gifts.”  Challenged to find 1,000 ways of being thankful, she composed a daily journal and encourages us to do the same.  I’ve read this book and believe this concept of gratitude has changed my life.  Finding something grand like the sunset, or something minute to be grateful for will deepen our relationship with the Lord.  When you start to count ALL things as joy, the Holy Spirit releases His presence in your life.  James 1:2-4

We need to get into a habit of being thankful in both good and bad times. (Colossians 3:17)  Whispering a prayer of gratitude invites God to work in our lives and give us fresh insight into our circumstance.  You can easily say, “Thank you Holy Spirit for filling me with peace when I feel so unraveled.  Show me how to be content with what you give me, and help me to see your hand at work.”  Simply being appreciative of a dishwasher or a washing machine has helped me to go about my chores with a better attitude.

Go Deeper 

Have you taken time in your day to list the things you are grateful for?  Why not read Ann Voskamp’s “1,000 Gifts” and start your own journal of thanksgiving.  Are there areas in your life that you simply can’t find anything to be grateful for?  When you give thanks to God, you will receive the peace of God!

 What’s Next?

You can take it a step further by teaching your kids to be thankful too.

Encourage them to keep a journal as well.  Cultivating an attitude of gratitude in your family will help them to be more altruistic and positive.  Studies show they will have a better attitude, be more attentive, get better grades, and have more determination.  This lesson is better caught than taught, so let your kids see you be thankful by praising the Lord not only with your words but also with your deeds.

Further Study:

There are over 100 thankfulness entries in the Bible.  Do a word search and meditate on the importance of being thankful to the Lord.  The word “Joy” shows up 242 times!  The Joy of the Lord is our strength!

1 Thessalonians 5:18, 2 Corinthians 2:14, 2 Corinthians 4:15, Psalm 69:30, Psalm 95:2, Psalm 100:4

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Rae-Ellen Sanders
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12 Comments on “An Attitude of Gratitude”

  1. Oh I so love this! I know for myself having an “attitude of gratitude” changes everything from the way I parent, to the way I see life in general! Thank you Rae Ellen, I will meditate on what I’m thankful for today!

  2. Rae-Ellen! This is so great! I was just thinking the other day of starting a slick board, daily, thankfulness list. This just confirms the importance of getting the whole family counting our blessings each day. Love you and thank you for posting!

    1. Delighted to share how the Lord is ministering to my own heart. Being thankful when I don’t feel very thankful is a discipline that has huge rewards and truly blesses me in the long run- my heart is changed and I can then truly thank God for all He is and does

  3. Oh my goodness RaeEllen! This Bible study hits home for me today! I am now officially an empty nester and need to keep my heart focused on ALL of the good things in my life. It helps me to feel loved by God!

    1. Thanks Deb, finding good in the busy or the sad places in our lives will keep us focused on the giver of all good gifts! praying for you as you adapt!

  4. Thanks for the reminder! I read that book earlier this summer, and they started keeping a journal with my family. Somehow we got cast aside, and I need to find it and keep using it.

    1. Heather, isn’t it such an encouraging read about being intentional! Sometimes, we don’t count our blessings enough- the book encouraged me to discipline myself to actually write the blessings down. My heart is full when I do this!

  5. Thank you Rae-Ellen for such a great study! And Kate, I too was thinking the same thing about being caught vs. taught! That is a great point and one that does take effort! Time for me to get started!

  6. “Better caught than taught” is convicting and true! I so desire for my children to have thankful hearts (so they may experience joy) and yet I justify my own ungrateful perspective so often! Thank you, Rae-Ellen for the reminder in your “What’s Next” section!

    1. thanks Kate, to be grateful all the time – will really transform our lives and perspectives. hearing mamma praising Jesus will allow our children to be more comfortable sharing praises too!

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