By Kimberly Davidson
When you wake up in the morning, do you say, “Good morning, Lord. “or “Good Lord, it’s morning?” Do you look at your life as a precious gift, or a mundane state that you can do nothing about? Do you see beauty in the world or only evil? Do you appreciate what you have or tend to want more?
There’s nothing wrong with feeling sad as we’re processing pain and loss, but we don’t want to stay sad. One way to begin to move from sadness to happiness is to practice gratitude, and make it a conscious, daily effort.
It’s no secret that people who are grateful are healthier, happier, and more optimistic. They have a better functioning brain and heart, and peace of God. It is now one of the treatment modalities for people with depression.
There are several scientific studies stating that thankfulness and gratitude are an essential component of health, wholeness, and well-being. It’s harder for seeds of crankiness, criticism, depression, or anger to take root in a grateful heart.
Every night, count your wins for the day and thank God. Maya Angelou said, “Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer.”
The psalmist wrote, “This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).
After the hurricane devastation suffered by the Gulf Coast, a man created this sign: “Rebuild with a grateful heart. You may have lost a house, but you did not lose your home.”
Gratefulness—Thankfulness—Humility—what we’re talking about here is an attitudinal lifestyle change. When the Jewish people pray, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name” (Psalm 103:1) — they acknowledge Him as the source of all blessings.
To bless God is to “praise” Him and give thanks for what He’s doing in your life and to go beyond the minimum worship. We can make it a habit of blessing God with thankfulness and asking, “What more can I do to please you?” Here is a suggestion: When you wake up in the morning, tell God, “We’re going to have a great day today! You’ve got the perfect plan for me” (Jeremiah 29:11).
Everyday, tell God three or more things for which you are thankful.
When your head hits the pillow at night, tell God what went well and what you’re thankful for. Here are some suggestions:
As hard as this may be in tough times, we can choose to focus on what we have. We always have at least one thing to be thankful for. Embrace God’s little blessings: the air you breathe, your family, reliable transportation, groceries, hot water to shower with, a reliable friend . . .
Has God has brought hope and healing into your life and demolished some strongholds? Praise Him for that.
When was the last time you thanked God for your salvation and for delivering you from the world’s bondage, or thanked Him for your health, intellect, talents, gifts, or for His love and mercy that have covered your past?
I challenge you to read Ephesians 1:1-14. Write down every spiritual blessing God has given you.
