When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.
- G. K. Chesterton
In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:18
G.K. Chesterton was right, but of course, the idea is not original. Gratitude makes a difference. It may not change our circumstances one little bit, but in changing the way we react to, see and understand our circumstances will change. Thessalonians tells us to be thankful or have gratitude in all things. It doesn't say for all things.We don't have to be grateful or thankful for evil and suffering, but we can be grateful that nothing that is going on or that we have done or have had done to us can separate us from the love of God. We can be grateful that He is able to use whatever circumstances, the good and the bad, to bring us into closer and deeper relationship with Him, to forge us into the best us we were always created to be and to make us more like Jesus. It's not the power of positive thinking, but not taking life for granted, not becoming bitter and resentful at the hardships, and instead seeking to draw near to Daddy and being grateful that we can and that He loves us means that we always have something we can be grateful for.
I have noticed over the years that challenging myself to come up with five things that I am grateful for every day has made a huge difference in my resentment levels, in my ability to trust God and in the way I view life. I have had some rough days over the past eight years of recovery, but even on the worst of them, in the midst of deaths of loved ones, job losses and more, there has never been a day when there weren't at least five things I can be thankful for. I haven't been sharing that list publicly on social media like I used to lately, but I still make it. Sometimes it takes more effort than others, but the results have truly blessed me. I challenge you, Dear Reader, to take the gratitude challenge and find things to be grateful for in the midst of every day and every situation. Give it a month and see for yourself how it can change your perspective and your levels of peace and joy.
This site is free. If this blessed, helped and or informed you, the best thing you can do is pass it on via the social buttons below. And please subscribe or follow Unshackled Life Ministries on Facebook.
Unshackled Life Ministries is grateful for every person that reads the daily Unshackled Moments, the weekly Unshackled Echo and or listens to the Audio Messages. I want to thank those who have clicked "like" on something that blessed or ministered to them on social media, commented on the blog or replied to an email subscription. It is encouraging to know that God is using this ministry to help and bless others. Please remember that if God used something from this ministry to help, encourage or bless you, it could also bless someone else. Would you help get the devotions and sermons to more people by sharing this? Hitting the share button or forwarding this to a friend will help us reach more people with the good news of freedom and the encouragement to live an Unshackled Life. Thank you and God bless.
No comments:
Post a Comment