It’s about this time of year, when autumn is in full swing and we realize Thanksgiving is just around the bend that our thoughts start turning toward gratitude.
An attitude of gratitude–we’ve all been schooled in this positive way to frame our thoughts. We know all the answers backwards and forwards, inside and out. But has this practice of giving thanks really, truly penetrated our hearts?
The practice of gratitude is often on my mind. Maybe it’s because I’m still not very good at it even after all these years of practice. Do you need some fresh perspectives on how to practice an attitude of gratitude?
In this post I wrote last year called “The Thanks Giving Project,” I suggested a way we can train our minds to tread the positive path.
Another post I wrote called “The Stained Glass Window” suggests 5 ways we can practice daily gratitude and experience the warm glow through life’s stained glass window.
This year, I want to challenge myself {and all of you} to try another practice–in everything giving thanks. In order to step to a higher level in our eternal progression, it would serve us well to eliminate complaining and whining and pessimism.
Give Thanks in Everything. Even when your children are misbehaving. Even when you have a bad hair day. Even when you’re late for church or a meeting or work. Even when you’re sick. Even when rainstorms ruin your party. Even when life is unfair. Even when you lose your job, or your car, or your home, or money, or even a family member. Even when everything seems to be going wrong–give thanks.
You see, sometimes, the very things that seem so terrible will ultimately work for our highest good. Because it is in these desperate times that we become molded and refined and smoothed into exactly who God wants us to be. There is not one single experience we pass through that will not be for our ultimate good, of this we can be sure. Heavenly Father loves us. He is there for us. And He wants us to return to Him.
In everything give thanks.
It’s a steep challenge, to be sure. But the result will turn us into something so magnificent, so humble, so Christlike.
Will you come with me on this path towards Thanksliving? Let’s take the next step and see where it leads.
