GRATITUDE

-

 








What are you grateful for? This is the question that popped up in my mind as I was about to write this. With everything going on in your life, the ones happening around you, the ones you see and those that you Don't see, the ones you felt, the ones you Don't even know about. What are you grateful for? 

Do you know that gratitude isn't only a physical thing. It is a spiritual exercise that makes you to think deeply and unveils the beauty of all circumstances. Gratitude is a state of being thankful and a readiness to show appreciation for something or to return kindness. Let me share my experience with you. There was a day I made up my mind that as I wake up daily, the first thing that must come out of my mouth is “Lord I'm grateful”. As little as this word is, it changed me. It got to a point whereby when I'm sleeping, I utter that word and I wake up with a very strong energy to start my day with. Ever since I've been doing that, I feel strength that is beyond my strength. This word makes me to be focused with all my plans for the day. It gives me the strength to do as I've planned. When I'm stressed out, I utter those words and immediately I regain strength. Gratitude is a very powerful action that has the ability to set you right with God. Gratitude is like pausing everything going on in your life and you deciding to appreciate God for that moment. Most times, we do think that we should show gratitude only when we are happy. But that's not it. It is not happiness that brings gratitude. It is gratitude that brings happiness. 

Philippians 4:5-7

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.


From this Bible verse, we can see that the Bible says in every situation you should be grateful. You Don't show gratitude just when you are happy or you just got a contract. Show gratitude in every situations. In the bad times, show gratitude! It is until you show gratitude that's when the peace of God will come in. This peace is not what you feel for few minutes. This peace is beyond the earthly realm. This peace calms you down even when things are really bad. The peace isn't what material things can give. It can only be given by God. 

 We can see the act of gratitude displayed by one of the 10 lepers Jesus healed as he was walking through Samaria and Galilee. 

Luke 17:11-19 

11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.

12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance

13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 

16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 

18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?”

 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well

Be like that man who went back to Jesus to show his gratitude over what he did for him. Show gratitude to God daily. Gratitude deepens your knowledge about God, it open doors of opportunities. It connects you to the right relationship. It builds your faith in God. 

Right now, I want you to pick a pen and a note. Write 10 things you are grateful for. Think deeply and write them down. Now, start saying it loudly with all sincerity of your heart. How do you feel right now? Can you feel the peace that follows gratitude? Yes that's it! Now imagine you do this daily. How much peace of God you will keep feeling in your mind daily.


As for me,

 I'm grateful for eternal life

I'm grateful for his breath in me

I'm grateful for his faithfulness in my life

I'm grateful for the joy of salvation

I'm grateful for his peace that surpasses all understanding

I'm grateful for my past mistakes because I know that all things work together for my good

I'm grateful over his protection over me, my family and my loved ones

I'm grateful for his love and Grace over my life

I'm grateful for my present situation 

I'm grateful for his guidance


What about you? What are you grateful for?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BROKENNESS

-
Image
What does it means to be broken? I'll be explaining it by telling a story. It is a fiction. It is not real.  Hi! I'm Katrina. I was born and raised in a Christian home. I was taught in the way of the Lord right from my young age. My story began when I got admission into the university. I met some set of friends that really changed me. I became everything my father told me it was bad. I became the opposite of my true self. I started smoking, use drugs, go to clubs, fornicate and so on. I became really bad. I became a drug addict. I can't just go a day without taking something. My friends call me “the boss”. I was really terrible. I don't even care about my family anymore. I see them as boring people. They don't understand my lifestyle. My friends are now my family. They do the things I do and have so much delight in it. I stopped going to church. I hated the Bible. I just don't want to see it because my friend told me that reading it will only put me in bondage. ...
Read more

THE POINTER OF PURPOSE

-
Image
     Every human on Earth is created by the creator with a purpose in mind. Purpose can be defined as the perpetual reason for the creation or making of something. It is the intention of the making of something. Everything created by God has a purpose. The trees, animals, waters, humans etc, they all have an intention for their making. E.g in Genesis 1:29, it pointed out that herbs bearing seed(fruits) is for meat(consumption). As humans, our purpose of making supercede all other makings(creations). Most people find it hard to know why they were created. It is because they have not understood some certain principles which I will explain later. Before that, there are two purpose of creation for every man.  1) The generic purpose of making : There is a purpose which is common to every mankind and that is termed as the generic purpose of making. Jesus, before his Ascension to heaven, he gave us a commandment. Mark 16:15, “...go ye into all the world, and preach the gosp...
Read more

THE PHYSIOTHERAPIST'S LESSON

-
Image
  “ Gradually! Slowly! A step at a time! Yeah, you are doing well! Continue! Focus! Slowly! Good...”   A female physiotherapist said while I watch the therapy session with a middle aged man who is learning how to walk after sustaining a leg injury after an accident. While I was watching, I began to relate the process to success. The journey to success is like the training the man was undergoing. I could summarise the process into 4 steps. 1) Internal motivation : This is the desire that comes from the heart. The man had a strong desire to walk again. To be successful in one's business, relationship, career etc, there has to be a strong will. Your mind must be made up for it. The desire moved the man into action.  2) External motivation : The physiotherapist told him “you can! Believe it! Keep moving!”. She motivated him. I want you to know that the voices of people can either make you or ruin you depending on how you handle it. Truly, external motivation helps but mi...
Read more