Live With a Thankful Heart

Our attitudes have everything to do with how happy we are with life. We can stare at a situation and try to see every negative thing about it, or we can find the good. We can choose to let life situations get under our skin, or we can choose to give it to God and grow from the situation. 

When we choose to hold on to situations, it opens the door for bitterness, anger, and sadness. We will complain and be unhappy. We become petty; only focusing on the situation and all the strife it is bringing into our lives. This negativity has a potential of seeping into every part of our lives. It will dwell in our hearts and consume us if we let it. 

Instead of letting the enemy use this to keep us from God, it is important to let go of the situation. Maybe you are going through something currently: a work issue, family problems, etc. Or maybe you are holding onto something that has happened long ago, but it is still weighing on your heart. Either way, it is affecting your everyday life. Although you may not feel the negative effects of it every day, it prevents you from feeling the complete Joy of God every day.

This is why having a thankful heart is so important. A thankful heart is one key to peace, happiness, and growth. A thankful heart allows us to see the good in every situation. While our world may be falling apart, we will see that it was only so God could build something better. We may not understand why things are going wrong in our lives, but we can be thankful for God’s unfailing love, grace, compassion, and protection. As children of Christ, we know that He will never leave us or forsake us. He will never lead us where we shouldn’t be. 

We should show our gratitude for this every day… not just around the holidays. We should live with a thankful heart, daily. Giving thanks for everything we can possibly think of! We should give thanks through prayer, through seeking God more, and through serving others.

Not only does a thankful heart bring us joy, but it prepares us for all the goodness God offers. It opens us up to everything God wants for us. It opens us up to all of the fruits of the Spirit; love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. A thankful heart teaches us how to live, how to react, and how to lead.  

A thankful heart also brings Honor to God, and is a repeated theme throughout Scripture:

 “Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His, And give thanks at the remembrance of His Holy name.” – Psalm 30:4

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.”  – Psalm 107:1

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.” – Psalm 100:4

“For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.” – 2 Corinthians 4:15

“giving thanks always for all the things to God the Father n the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”   – Ephesians 5:20

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” – Colossians 3:17

            Meditate on these verses. Apply them to your life daily and discover the joy God wants for all of His children. Immerse yourself in that Joy and then share that joy with the world by how you live!

~Cassandra Whitworth