The Attitude of Gratitude

This past Thanksgiving season has been a real blessing to me.  I am on the road to recovery in my inner life, because I strongly believe that one must be emotionally healthy and spiritually mature to be effective in leadership.  So I've committed my life to Christ's care and control and I'm allowing Him to remove my character defects.

Until now, I never realized how powerful gratitude is in the life a believer until recently.  It is my new secret weapon in spiritual warfare.  This attitude of the heart stands guard to ward off negative thoughts and every high thing that exhaults itself against the knowledge of God!   Two days ago I did a teaching on "Gratitude" and I'd like to share with you some of insights I've discovered and experienced when I cultivate thi state of mind:

• Acknowledging the things for which I am grateful to God, draws me closer to Him.  My relationship with Him is more intimate as I began to recognize all that He's done for me this year. 
• I've found that in some experiences that were especially difficult, like my heart surgery and the death of my aunt, God gave the grace needed to walk through - the grace not only to walk through, but to be a blessing in the process.  Because I was grateful to God for all the many details and issues - large and small - both experiences yielded opportunities to minister the grace of God to others in a way that yielded fruit for the Kingdom.  
• When I express gratitude to Him, it pleases Him immensely and His heart is turned toward me and I'm immediately aware of His presence. 
• I no longer feel victimized or subject to my circumstances.  My glass is half full; not half empty. 
• Gratitude evokes a spirit of praise and worship to God.  A grateful heart compels me to praise God!  When I enter His gates with Thanksgiving and into His courts with praise, the blessings and favor of God become active in my life.  
• Gratitude is the enemy of depression and discouragement.  I am able to cultivate and maintain my spiritual health by warding off the enemies of my soul that come to rob me of my joy and peace.
• Expressing my gratitude to God on a daily basis, helps me to keep a balanced perspective on the challenges of life and reminds me that God is in control and has kept His promise to never leave me or forsake me.  I approach each day with a more positive attitude, I'm able to pray according to God's will and to trust Him more fully.  

What are you grateful to God for?  In what ways are you grateful for the people in your life?

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Give thanks in all circumstances;

for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.