THE POWER OF GRATITUDE (PART 1)
If there is a great sin that is prevalent nowadays is ingratitude. God does so much for us every moment of our lives, but we rarely give the thanks or credit to Him that He deserves. It is God’s desire for us to be grateful. There are many people that do not express gratitude. If someone does something for them, they don’t give thanks. They believe that they deserve not only that, but more and that is a form of expressing pride.
Gratitude brings the following:
1. Life. The tongue can bring death or life (Proverbs 18:21). The opposite of gratitude is complaining, which is the start of the death that attacks our thoughts and afflict our spirit. Meditate daily on all the things for which you have to be grateful for. Give thanks to God and share it with others around you. While you do that, you will discover that your heart becomes full of life.
2. Joy and liberation. Being grateful requires a sacrifice when we find ourselves in difficult situations, like lack of work, sickness, problems in the home, etc. But gratitude frees us and instead of being whiny, we express gratitude to God and others.
Gratitude cannot go hand in hand with complaint. When our mind is full of negative thoughts, complaints surge and the door open to sickness and tension.
A grateful heart is always happy and has a positive mind. A heart that is ungrateful is never satisfied with anything. A grateful heart is humble, but an ungrateful heart reveals an attitude of pride. A grateful heart always says, “I have more than I deserve,” but an ungrateful heart says, “I deserve more than what I have.”
Think about it:
Is there more gratitude or complaint on your mouth?
What are all the blessings that God has given you for which you should be grateful?
How long has it been since you’ve said thank you to someone for being a blessing in your life?
