How to Keep an Attitude of Gratefulness

“Rejoice always. Pray continually. Give thanks in every situation because this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Don’t suppress the Spirit. Don’t brush off Spirit-inspired messages, but examine everything carefully and hang on to what is good.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-21 CEB

Many times the devotionals I write come through my own personal experience. They’re lessons that God reveals to me during my bible study time or prayer time that speak to my own personal experience. Once again, He has reminded me of how crucial it is to my journey that I not only remain faithful to Him, but that I remain grateful as well.  For me, those two are tied together.  When I am overcome with life and do not have a grateful attitude, I often find myself not speaking nor acting in a faithful manner.

So, I wanted to write today’s devotional about gratefulness and some of the steps we can implement to keep a spirit of gratefulness – even when it is hard to do so.  If we put the steps into practice, then when issues arise we would have already laid the foundation for a grateful mind, spirit, and heart no matter the circumstances.

First, we must rejoice always. This may seem hard, but it requires you to be intentional in your thought process and perspective. Just as you can find the bad side of a situation, be intentional and focus on the good…always.

Secondly, Prayer. When we pray it helps your perspective. Yes prayer places our petitions before The Lord, but prayer is so much more than requesting God to move.  Prayer is about listening. And prayer, not only puts your petition before The Lord, it shifts your focus and puts you in a state of expectation. Your issues become smaller as you recognize that your God is bigger than your problems.

Next, simply, Give thanks. We may not want to recognize this, but realistically, it could be worse. We hear that and our psyche probably knows that, but it truly could be worse. This is not to minimize your pain, anguish, or despair; just to make you aware that even in the midst of that pain, anguish, and despair there is reason to find thanks.

Also, do not for sake the work of the Holy Spirit, the great comforter.  Allow the Spirit to do what the Spirit does naturally. So don’t try to erase or suppress the spirit as it moves to give comfort. Sometimes we choose to feel bad because it becomes a place of comfort for us.

And lastly, recognize that God not only works through the Spirit, He will send people to uplift you with His word. How any times have you heard a sermon and thought the preacher was spying on you? Or read the Word and realized it spoke to your situation? Or met someone, friend or stranger, that seemed to call at the right time or say something they didn’t even know you needed? Recognize those are God moments. Not coincidences.

As you continue to shape and reshape your attitude into a grateful one, you will notice that it will be easier to maintain. For furthering understanding, I recommend Joyce Myers “Battlefield of the Mind”. Not only will it help you recognizing how important the mind is to maintaining positivity and a spirit of gratefulness, it will help you in other areas too.

Walk with Him this week,

Shaniqua and The Great Is Team

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Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7 am, follow me on Periscope or Twitter for the God-Morning! Message of inspiration and encouragement. You can listen via your phone if you have the app or online via the web. The videos are available for review for 24 hours. Afterwards, I move them to FaceBook permanently.  Follow me @Shaniqua Rischer