Living With An Attitude of Gratitude
1 Thessalonians 5:16 -18 “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
That most wonderful time of the year is almost upon us. For me my favorite season is ushered in with Thanksgiving. It is the time when families travel from near and far to gather together in the warmth of our homes, to eat good ol’ comfort food, to laugh and share memories. It is a wonderful time of the year for expressing gratitude, for giving and receiving. And, if you are like my family then you also have the tradition of sitting around the Thanksgiving table sharing with your loved ones the things that you are most thankful for.
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it is my desire to use this opportunity to encourage you to take some time out to sit and reflect on all of the bountiful goodness that God has personally blessed you with. And if you are not already in the habit of doing so, begin making it a habit to practice gratitude on a daily basis. There are so many wonderful ways to live a life of gratitude but I want to share just one of these ways with you.
For about 15 years I have been keeping what I call my “Journal of Blessings”. Many people who do this may call it their “Gratitude Journal”. I use my journal to record all of my answered prayers, no matter how small. I use it to record all of the many ways God blesses us and provides for our needs, no matter how trivial it may seem. I attempt to be faithful in recording God’s goodness lest I forget all of the many wonderful things He has done for me throughout the years. I know that many things I would have forgotten about had I not recorded them. I cannot adequately express the deep encouragement I have received so many times from reading back over these journals. Over and over again I have been reminded of how much God loves me by how He has taken care of us. This is one sure way to help me to live with an attitude of gratitude towards God for all of His goodness. If you do not already have a “Gratitude Journal” I do believe that this time of the year, this time of Harvest and Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to consider starting one. Once you start recording God’s goodness you may find yourself amazed at how easily the spirit of thankfulness begins to flow, filling your heart with joy.
I can only write from personal experience so this is not some expert’s advice but for me, living with the attitude of gratitude is liberating and powerful! It helps to keep the negativity and selfishness at bay. It fills my spirit with joy and brings me peace and contentment. It opens my heart and eyes to see all of the beauty already in my life. When I am living a life of gratitude I find my own life deeply enriching and the warmth of thankful emotions wonderfully overwhelming, invigorating my spirit. My heart cannot help but to sing for joy. I encourage you to take stock of all the goodness in your own life and be filled with joy!
Tirzah, what a beautiful post! This is so true, any day of the week, any time of the year. You have inspired me to be more intentional about being thankful. And I think you are an expert, because you have lived this.
This is such a timely blog, with Thanksgiving just around the corner.
When we don’t Selah and think on the countless ways God blesses or the answered prayers – life-changing or seemingly insignificant – we too easily lose sight of the heart of our Father.
“…I shall declare the works and recount the illustrious acts of the Lord.” Psalm 118:17
I love the idea of living with an attitude of gratitude. I wish I had kept a journal of all my blessings and answered prayers … maybe today is the day to start! Thank you for the encouragement. I loved reading this blog … and I love the song you posted!
Blessings,
Stacy
I am so encouraged by your blog! As I get older I am so thankful for so many blessings Father has poured on my family and myself. I can never thank Him enough for His love! He is so worthy of all our praise! I am starting the journal! Thank You Tirzah!
Wonderful post. What a great thing to do to keep an answered prayer and thankful journal! My husband always says the key to a happy heart is a thankful heart. He is a very thankful soul and such an encouragement to me. Blessings to you dear sister! Hugs, Elena
What a wonderful idea…So many times we live each day without pausing to reflect on our blessings, some received that day. Thank you for this terrific suggestion.
Once again…You and I are “hooked” up spritually I think! You are a blessing! The other night I actually couldn’t fall asleep because I was consumed with telling God how thankful I was for the blessings in my life. I don’t want God to forget my family in our situation, so I am continually before Him reminding Him and Thanking Him. Great song too! Love you!
Tirzah, this is such a great blog! Yet another way you and I are connected! I have always been journaler and I love your idea of a gratitude journal! Thank you- great blog!
Love this. I really need to be more purposeful in this. I cheat myself when I think I’ll remember.
I just read your fantastic post here. It seems like we share the attitude that “Gratitude is good for you.” Grateful Nation is an online community that gives grateful people the opportunity and resources to connect, give back, and be thankful. Jump into the unending cycle of gratitude ~ http://www.gratefulnation.org
Thank you, Vanessa
Amen, Amen! Thank you Tirzah for your insight. Let me count a blessing here; I am so glad to have a washing machine and dryer and don’t have to beat my clothes on a rock next to a cold river
. Now, time to get to that journal you were speaking about!
Love you my friend!
I enjoyed this post because sometimes I forget to count my blessings. As I began to take a moment and reflect on His goodness … TO ME … my faith was strengthened by my heart testimonies of HIS faithfulness in my life. Thank you for ushering me along in this sweet journey!
Love you! ~Ris