I am reading a book called “Choosing Gratitude – Your Journey to
Joy”. It is by Nancy Leigh DeMoss, the
same author that wrote “Choosing Forgiveness” the study I did last year. I am excited to see what God is going to
teach me through this study… as I move on from just forgiving to learning to be
grateful. Like I did with “Choosing
Forgiveness” I am going to share some of my favorite quotes (in red) and what
God is teaching me through them.
It’s
all in how you look at it. It’s a matter
of attitude. “Attitudinal change”… It’s
a fancy way to say that new behaviors start with a new mind-set. The pathways to personal transformation
require a change in perspective.
So often I need this change of perspective… I need to slow down,
step back and see the situation through God’s eyes so that in turn my attitude
can change. With the change of attitude
God can then be at work in me and give me a heart of gratitude.
I
don’t want you to bed destroyed by inevitable downturns of life- with no answer
for the darts of unfair, unpleasant circumstances- a walking bull’s-eye, just
waiting for the next arrow to be shot in your direction. I want you to find the God-given reserve to
stand strong in the midst of confusing, condemning onslaughts of
opposition. I want your head up, lifted
by the empowering Spirit of God within you, even when everything else within you
is calling you for a week in bed with the lights out and the blinds drawn.
I
want you to be so available to the Spirit’s leading, so aware of others’ needs,
and so willing to be open and genuine, that God takes the things of Satan meant
for evil and transforms them into things of value.
No
matter who you are, where you’ve been, or what’s happened to you along the way,
you can be changed into a person who’s known and marked by gratitude. God can do it in you. Are you ready?
I too want to be the type of person that is ready and available
for God to make the changes in me… to not allow the circumstances to beat me
down but instead remain focused on where the Spirit is leading me and those
around me that I can serve. I want to be
known for gratitude. Lord, be at work in
me even today… change my perspective on things and help me to be reminded of
the many blessings I have so that I can glorify you no matter what the
circumstances.
I’m
here to tell you that expressing true gratitude involves choices as practical
as setting your clocks correctly, changing your vacuum bag, or locking your
doors at night. It is a regular maintenance
plan, something that only happens when you do it on purpose, yet it’s sure to
save you all kinds of trouble down the line.
It’s hard work. But it works. And
we grow more like Christ every time we practice it.
I have to choose whether or not I am willing to put in the
work. Am I willing to purposely take the
time each day to be grateful? I know that
making changes isn’t easy but the outcome will definitely be worth it…
I
would like to make several specific recommendations that can get us headed in
the right direction and hopefully never turn back.
1)
Surrender your rights to God – What a difference it would make if we started
each morning not only worshiping the Lord and meeting Him in prayer and His
Word, but establishing from the very beginning of the day that He has full
rights to our lives.
I want to start doing this on a daily basis… even though I know
I will probably fail on occasion I would rather do it as much as I can instead
of never trying because I don’t want to fail.
Lord, I give you today. I know
that I like to be in control of things… but that isn’t my place or my
right. When I asked you into my life…
and asked you to be Lord of my life I was giving my life to you. Help me to remember that throughout the
day. Take control of things and help me
to follow you down the path you have for me.
Thank you for loving me and having a perfect plan for my life… even when
I don’t understand.
2)
Commit to a set season of gratitude – Like any other virtue, a grateful spirit
is the work of God’s Spirit within the life of a believer who is purposeful
about putting off fleshly inclinations and cultivating spiritual ones. And that takes time, effort, and focused
attention If you want to see lasting
change- transformation- in this matter of gratitude, I want to encourage you to
set aside a concentrated period of time to focus on that process.
I do want to be transformed in this area so I am committing to
do the 30 days of gratitude challenge at the end of this book. It is my desire that after the 30 days it
becomes a natural part of my life.
3)
Take stock of your gratitude accounts – Who deserves (or needs) a word of
thanks from you? Who in your life could
use a bit of encouragement today? Keep
track of your balance. Double-check for
any unrecorded entries. And set aside
ample time to monitor the books. Make
sure everything’s paid up.
I guarantee that I am not up to date on my “thank yous” throughout
the years. I am sure there are many people who not only deserve a thank you, or
a word of encouragement, but may need one today. Lord, open my eyes to those around me that I
can appreciate and those from my past I may need to seek out and encourage. I don’t know why it is so hard to take the
time to do so… but I can imagine the blessing that it could be in the life of
others and my own for that matter.
4)
Write thank-you notes –So simple… and yet so transformational. Thank-you notes are a tangible way to
communicate what is (or should be) in our hearts. Ways to express appreciation for the benefits
we have received from others- gifts, acts of service, godly example and
counsel, prayers, encouragement, etc. Don’t get hung up on the “technique.” Do resolve
to have a thankful heart and to take the time to express your gratitude as
frequently as possible. When I think of
how often God has used notes of gratitude from others to encourage and
strengthen my heart, it makes me wonder who else may have needed a word of
encouragement that I failed to send in response to the prompting of God’s
Spirit.
I think this type of thank you notes is so much more meaningful
and valuable than the ones that seem obligatory after a wedding. I wish that I would have read this chapter
before writing all those thank-you notes and had taken the time to thank them
not just for the gift but for the impact they made on my life throughout the
years. I too wonder how many people I
failed to encourage because I didn’t take the time to thank them. Lord, open my eyes to others and help me to
be more grateful for them
5)
Do it together, as a Body-building exercise – If your family, group, or church
were to develop a corporate sense of gratitude, how many petty squabbles would
disappear? How many people, who have
been at odds with each other, would find a reason to put an end to their
selfishness and strife? How many
ministries would be revived into true usefulness, simply by being populated with
grace-filled men and women growing ever more grateful for the privilege of
serving Him-together?
What an amazing environment our church would be if we were known
for being a grateful people… it would be a true light into a dark world. I know that it needs to start with me… I can’t
encourage and influence others to be grateful if I am not doing the same myself.
I have seen progress these last few weeks… but I know I have a long ways to go
still.
Tell
Him you’re going to offer up to Him every situation and circumstance in your
life, even the ones that are still sensitive to the touch, the ones that make
absolutely no sense, the ones you just really don’t understand why you’re
having to put up with right now. No
matter how bad it gets, no matter what someone says to you, no matter how long
it goes on or where it might lead, you will drop the full weight of it at His
feet every night, be thankful for His strength that brought you through the day,
and wait for His mercies that will be new in the morning.
I can think of two situations that fit into this scenario. The first one is the situation with Shane. It doesn’t matter how much time passes, it is
still hard. I think about him and miss
him every day. We don’t understand why
things turned out the way they did… but I do want to trust God and His bigger
plan for things. O’ Lord… I lift up
Shane to you and pray that you do your healing work in him. Bring people into his life that will draw him
back into your presence. I know you
started a good work in his life… please finish it.
The other situation is Matthew’s health issues and ensuing
battle with L&I and Social Security.
It is hard to be thankful… it is hard to be patient. But at the same time I know that God is good
and that He has a perfect plan so I want to patiently wait upon Him. Lord, be our strength and encouragement
through all of this.
Arguably
the most affluent, materially blessed people in the history of the world, we
have become angry, bitter, proud and ungrateful. We have gotten this false sense of
entitlement and the entirely unbiblical idea that God owes us ease and luxury
or at least the chance to go for weeks without having to deal with this one
particular matter that is so difficult or discouraging.
I have seen this attitude of entitlement displayed in others so
much that I never thought about the fact that I too have an attitude of
entitlement. Lord, forgive me. Who am I to think that I shouldn’t have to
suffer here on this earth? Who am I to
think that I should have an easier life than Christ did? Forgive me Lord and help me to be grateful
for all the many blessings you have poured down onto me… blessings that I didn’t
deserve.
Some
of the holy work we need to have done in us and through us can only come
through the valley of shadow and suffering.
Are you going to be resistant to that? Or are you going to be clay in
His hands, knowing that He is intent on shaping you into the image of Christ
and wants to use your life for something far bigger than your own comfort, convenience,
and pleasure?
Lord, mold me like clay.
Anytime that my ego gets in the way or I start thinking that my life
circumstances are unfair please remind me that You are doing a work in me to
mold me into the image of Christ. Help
me to be willing to go through anything for your sake… I know it won’t always
be easy or comfortable but I do desire to be more like Christ… changed from the
inside out.
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