Having a Grateful Heart
A grateful heart is refreshing for the mind, body, and spirit. God has been so good to us; we should bask in his goodness daily. I mean being grateful daily for life, liberty, pursuing happiness, etc. We should also reflect daily on all he has done for us – the tangible and the intangible. Psalms 100: 3-4 says, “Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” And 1 Thessalonians 5:18 also tells us, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
So how do we show gratitude to God? There are several ways to show appreciation to God and keep a consistently grateful heart. First, when we wake up in the morning, we should thank him for our life and a new day. We should also praise him with our spoken words and by singing songs of praise. Throughout our day at various intervals, we should also spend quality time reading his word, telling him how wonderful he is and how grateful we are for his son Jesus Christ, his Holy Spirit, as well as his angels that help us. By spending time with God, we also grow in deeper intimacy with him, which we should be grateful for.
Secondly, we extend gratitude to God by sharing his love for us with others. We can do this by introducing him and our experiences with him to others. We can also pray for others that God has used to bless us and our enemies. God uses our enemies to serve a great purpose in our lives – they help us become wiser, stronger and draw us closer to him.
Thirdly, we can be grateful to God by living a righteous, just, and honorable life. By doing this, we watch how we speak, treat ourselves, others, etc. Such a life is exercised by following Jesus Christ as our true example and leader.
Finally, we ought to be grateful in expectancy – knowing that God has kept all his promises and has greater things in store for us. Hebrews 12:28 states, ” Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.”
By being grateful to God, our lives will undoubtedly radiate positive energy that will transform darkness into light in various areas. This energy is also needed to transform the world around us and to become an inspiration and an exemplary change agent through gratitude. Be and stay blessed!
Written By: Iodelle A. Chinnery