Gratitude Is Your Key To A Better Experience Of Today

Your experience of life is largely determined by your perspective of it.  Life is a mix of good and bad, easy and hard, fair and unfair.  What you focus on is what defines your experience.  Focus on the good and life seems good.  Focus on the unfair and your life seems like miserable injustice.

Gratitude Is Key

In other words, you have a significant influence on your experience of any given day simply by the perspective you choose.  Focus on the bad, you feel bad.  Focus on the good, even if you are experiencing bad things, you still see the blessings that fill your life.

So what is the key to seeing the blessings, even when difficult things are in your path?  The key is gratitude!

When you are thankful to God, you recognize the things he has given you in your life.  When you do this, you see that he has not left you.  You see that he is active and cares.

Do you want to perceive with greater clarity the blessings God has already put in your life today?

Then thank God for these things:

1. The people he has given you to love.  There is no gift like the gift of relationships.  We are the sum total of the relationships we have forged.  The gift of people in our lives is rich.  When was the last time you took inventory of your relationships?  When last did you choose to express how much you valued those people?  And sure, I know relationships can be tough.  You might be struggling with a spouse, a teenage child, your parents, a rift in a friendship.  But what if you thanked God for those people you get to love.  Even when I have been challenged in a relationship, when I thank God for that person I feel differently toward them.  I appreciate them and love them.
2. The grace to make it through challenges.  In the Book of Philippians, in the Bible, Paul writes to the church of Philippi encouraging them.  These people were experiencing a measure of persecution and social pressure.  It was hard.  But he called them to rejoice with gratitude.  He said, “Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again:  Rejoice!…Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:4-6)  Maybe you are going through something difficult.  But God offers you the grace to make it through.  You can call on him, count on him.  Many of you can recall a difficult time that you didn’t think you would survive, but God got you through.  Thank him for that, right now.
3. The wisdom to know how to live.  God has given you his Word, the Bible.  It is rich with insight and instruction on the wise way to live.  No doubt you have a Bible believing church you can be a part of where the Scriptures are preached and where wise people lead.  Having these influences in our lives helps us navigate the winding roads in front of us.  Thank God for the wisdom he makes available and the potential it has to bless you.
4. The ability to give.  You know, even when we have little, if we look closely we can find we have something to give.  Look around at the things you have with which you can be generous with others.  It may be money, or something that you can share, or something you can do for someone.  Be thankful that you have been given the ability to give today.
5. The perspective to live contentedly.  Paul said, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” (Philippians 4:11)  When my wife and I first married, we were poor.  Our jobs didn’t bring in much money.  We had a small apartment and no savings.  But a couple times a week I would walk around the apartment and thank God for everything I saw.  The used furniture, the pots and pans in the kitchen, the clean clothes, and the food in the fridge.  I felt rich, very rich.  Why?  Because I was grateful.

So stop now and start thanking God for everything you have and see that he is powerfully with you today.

Question:  What are some things for which you are grateful?  You can leave a comment by clicking here.