21 Days of Gratitude
Rejoice always, Pray Continually Give thanks in all circumstances. 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18
"Oh no this has been such a bad day!" my then five year old son moaned and groaned as he went up the stairs looking very disappointed. I was puzzled by his attitude, we had spent the day together so I could not understand how the day had turned out so bad so I asked, "How has it been such a bad day my son?" ,
"Well we didn't get to go for the play date I had been so looking forward to because it was been cancelled! This is such a bad day!" and he gave the longest most pitiful sigh almost in tears.
"Come here my son let us‚ sit down and talk." I could see that he was feeling very defeated and crestfallen but I needed to not only to console him but to give him better perspective and encourage a wholesome attitude. I voiced how i understood that the cancellation of the playdate was very disappointing. I asked him what he thought we could have done since his friend's parents had cancelled because of an emergency. He shook his head and muttered "Nothing I guess"
I then reminded him about how we had gone for ice cream and had gone to the beach and done quite a few fun things he had been wanting. We had even managed to get a little toy car that he had been wanting for ages! All this was done in the same day and these were things he did not usually get to do all in one day.
I then spoke to him about his perspective and how he had discounted 99% of the good things that had happened just because he did not manage to attain the one thing out of many. He slowly realised how poor his attitude had been and said, "I am so sorry Daddy, I have not been grateful have I?"
Sometimes I am also like that in my approach to life and my relationship with God and others. I let the things that I have failed to achieve or the things I have lost become the centre of my attitude a towards life and that clouds my heart.
I begin to sulk and tell God how I am such a loser and how nothing ever goes my way. Sometimes depending on the circumstances I may even let the worry and anxiety about the things I am failing to attain shake me so much, such that I fail to see all the other good things that have been happening and all the things God has been doing.
I have learnt that when I take the attitude of gratitude to be my main disposition in Life I begin to have a fair perspective of life that keeps me grounded and allows me not to shaken by the fewer things that are falling apart. In this season our attitude of gratitude does more than you see. When you are grateful and thankful in a hard season such as we are facing currently it shifts your perception to higher ground from what you have lost and carries you to a great level of thankfulness that allows you to remain unshaken despite the things that are not working out.
In fact gratitude lifts you from self-pity to faith in the God who is still with you and fighting for you. As we draw towards the close of the year I pray that you are able to let go of the hurts, the losses and hardships and have new eyes to see those things that God has been blessing you with through this hard season.
As a Church we are embarking on a 21 day journey of expressing Gratitude beginning today Monday 14 November 2022.
During this time let us take time to reflect on those things and you will see God lift you to greater heights as you attain the right attitude of Gratitude.
You can download or screenshot the 21 Days of gratitude guide below to help guide you in this 21 day journey and or join us in completing a 21 day gratitude Devotion that will encourage us to journal and cultivate our gratitude. You can use the link below to join the devotion plan on YouVersion Bible app.
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