They said you need to be more grateful and make it a lifestyle. But how can I be more thankful if I don’t truly know what that means and how to go about it, especially in the middle of chaos? The truth is, expressing gratitude is the last thing I want to do when I am going through afflictions. I know you might be thinking the same thing, is this even possible? Well, you can take it from a used-to-be-called “Professional Complainer” that it is possible to have a lifestyle of gratitude even during chaos. See, I used to be such a big complainer that I became known for it, there was none like me when it comes to complaining. Although I used to hear people talk about gratitude all the time, it never clicked and since misery loves company, I used to hang around those who got that same complaining vibe, so when we gathered, the complaining party was on. All we did was find faults and focus on what did and didn’t happen as if that would change the narrative somehow. All it did if anything was make us feel more drained, exhausted, depleted, and empty after each session, at least that’s how I felt. However, I have discovered that taking an attitude of gratitude is like prescription glasses, when we don’t have them on, everything seems blurry and we cannot perceive details clearly but when we have them on, our visions and perspectives start getting better. There are several ways to have a lifestyle of thankfulness.
It all starts by acknowledging God’s presence and knowing He is a giver. Sometimes, life can be overwhelming, and even if everything around you is falling apart, know that you are not falling apart because you are still breathing, which means a Supreme Being is sustaining you and that Supreme Being is God. Therefore, you are not doing life on your own. And any giver who receives appreciation from a receiver will want to give and do even more, it is the same concept with God. The more you thank Him, the more He’ll give you, and the more you acknowledge Him, the more He’ll remove the veil and scales off your eyes, and the more you seek Him, the more of Him you shall find.
Another way to have a lifestyle of gratitude is to tap into your memory bank. This is a part that can be scary to many of us because we don’t want to bump into something we don’t want to deal with, but the trick here is you are not tapping into your memory bank to dig for the trauma, drama, and setbacks, you are tapping into it to trace God’s hands on your life. It can be from your birth story, the stories being told in your family, an event, a chaotic situation, etc. If you take the time to tap in, best believe, you’ll see God’s hands all over. You will then realize where you could have ended up, and what could have happened to you, your children, and your family if it had not been for the Lord. And that’s when you’ll start thanking God for what did and didn’t happen; therefore, no more complaints.
Lastly, another way to help you with a lifestyle of gratitude is by always remembering the sacrifice of Jesus. Our Savior Jesus Christ died for all of us when He didn’t even have to. He did it to reconcile us back with our heavenly Father and He also did it so that we can have eternal life instead of what we truly deserve, which is eternal death. So now, what do you think we can pay God for such an exchange? After realizing that we cannot repay Him for what He’s done for us, we understand that giving thanks to the Lord is a small request compared to what He could have asked of us.
If you struggle with a lifestyle of gratitude, a daily tip that I found helpful is to start by setting your timer of gratefulness to God on your phone as you would for any other appointment. For instance, you can put your timer on for every fifteen, thirty, or even every two hours, and spend three to five minutes or more giving thanks to the Lord and before you know it, you’ll become a natural. Another thing also is to picture the Godhead, which is God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the room with you or wherever you may be as you express your gratitude, that will help you to remain intentional each time you are praising God because the truth of the matter is, we were born to praise, worship and continually thank God for every single breath we take. Our ability to breathe is not cheap, it cost Jesus His life. So, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!” Psalm 150: 6
SCRIPTURES
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18
“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” 1 Chronicles 16:34
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