A few years ago, after a motorcycle accident, X-rays showed spots on my lymph nodes around my lungs that looked like cancer. I prepared for the biopsy surgery by spending time making sure I stayed in a good place spiritually. Still there was an understanding that my life might be coming to an end. I began working on my bucket list. I wanted to make the time I had left with my wife and family count, however long that might be. I came across a bucket list idea that consisted of writing down five things grateful for every day for a year. I loved the idea and began implementing it immediately. It was an awesome experience, so much so that when the year ended I continued the practice. I shared the little gratitude list in my Facebook page each night.
I've missed a few days here and there over the past three years, but the "Five things I am grateful for today: posting has become a consistent part of my life. Recently I began to wonder if it really made a difference. I can be grateful without having to publish a few things I am grateful for, right? Well, right....and wrong. Over the last couple of weeks that I have taken a break from the gratitude list the volume of my praise and the level of gratefulness throughout my day has dropped. I wish I could say that wasn't the case. Over the past years of maintaining this practice I found myself going through my days looking for things that should end up on the list that evening. I spent little moments throughout every day noticing things to be grateful for and giving God praise and thanks for them.
Many times I forgot something that I intended to make the list as I reviewed my day, but at the moment they happened I had those moments of thanksgiving and gratefulness. Within a few days of knowing that I would not be writing my list down in the evening I stopped searching for things to put down. I realize now that I began to go through my day without noticing many of the things that just a little while ago would have filled me with wonder at the blessings of my life.
As we approach the end of the year, many will be reviewing the past 12 months. Yes, we need to look at areas of our life we need or want to improve, but if you inventory the year, I would encourage special encouragement to look for the blessings and things that happened this year to be grateful for. Then as we start a new year and many start trying to improve and incorporate new and better habits I would say that increasing gratitude and praise on a daily basis should be high on the list.
Maybe taking the time to write down one or a few things you're grateful for every day might work, whether it is published on social media or kept in a private journal for personal review or texted to a friend, just something more tangible than a mental note. Maybe something entirely different would work better for you. I would simply look for a way to turn up the gratefulness keep the praise flowing throughout the day. There's no need to wait four days either. A thankful heart doesn't need to be ruled by a calendar, but give whatever you come up with enough time, perhaps at least 30 days, to begin to make a difference before doing any evaluation. Make being grateful an action verb and a regular practice. I will begin posting my gratitude list again this evening. Maybe I will see yours.
Unshackled Life Ministries is grateful for every person that reads the daily Unshackled Moments and or listens to the messages. I want to thank those who have clicked "like" on something that blessed or ministered to them. 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 to more people by sharing the Moments and messages that you read or listen to? Hitting the share button instead of or in addition to the like button 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.
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