Tag: <span>attitude of gratitude</span>

An Attitude of Gratitude
Published October 10, 2022

An Attitude of Gratitude

A grateful heart sees each day as a gift.

Thankful people focus less on what they lack and more on the privileges they have. I attended a banquet recently in which a wounded soldier was presented with the gift of a free house. He nearly fell over with gratitude. He bounded onto the stage with his one good leg and threw both arms around the presenter. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” He hugged the guitar player in the band and the big woman on the front row. He thanked the waiter, the other soldiers, and then the presenter again. Before the night was over, he thanked me! And I didn’t do anything.

Shouldn’t we be equally grateful? Jesus is building a house for us (John 14:2). Our deed of ownership is every bit as certain as that of the soldier. What’s more, Jesus cured our leprosy. Sin cankered our souls and benumbed our senses. Yet the Man on the path told us we were healed, and, lo and behold, we were!

The grateful heart is like a magnet sweeping over the day, collecting reasons for gratitude. A zillion diamonds sparkle against the velvet of your sky every night. Thank you, God. A miracle of muscles enables your eyes to read these words and your brain to process them. Thank you, God. Your lungs inhale and exhale eleven thousand liters of air every day. Your heart will beat about three billion times in your lifetime. Your brain is a veritable electric generator of power. Thank you, God.

For the jam on our toast and the milk on our cereal. For the blanket that calms us and the joke that delights us and the warm sun that reminds us of God’s love. For the thousands of planes that did not crash today. For the men who didn’t cheat on their wives, and the wives who didn’t turn from their men, and the kids who, in spite of unspeakable pressure to dishonor their parents, decided not to do so. Thank you, Lord.

Gratitude gets us through the hard stuff. To reflect on your blessings is to rehearse God’s accomplishments. To rehearse God’s accomplishments is to discover his heart. To discover his heart is to discover not just good gifts but the Good Giver. Gratitude always leaves us looking at God and away from dread. It does to anxiety what the morning sun does to valley mist. It burns it up.

Join the ranks of the 10 percent who give God a standing ovation. “Give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” Ephesians 5:20 (NLT).

By Max Lucado
Used by permission

We Welcome your comments.

Enter Email
reCAPTCHA

To learn more about Max Lucado visit his website at:
http://maxlucado.com/about/__

Further Reading

•  Study on Thanksgiving

•  Thanking Abundantly

•  Salvation Explained

thoughts by Max Lucado Thoughts by Men

Attitude of GratitudeAttitude of Gratitude
Published November 28, 2013

Attitude of Gratitude

“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Everyone needs a mentor, a person who models for you the Christian walk. A person you look up to and say, “I’d like to be like her when I’m that age.”

Anna is this person for me. At 81 Anna lives alone in a small one bedroom apartment in a Salvation Army Senior independent living complex. Her husband died six years ago. Because she’s experiencing severe memory loss, Anna has had to give up driving her car.

But Anna has not a shred of self-pity. Her face was radiant as she told me, “Glen and I had almost 25 years together.” Then she laughed, “Counting our courting days, it was 25 years. His son, Ron, is so good to me. He looks after all my affairs.”

To the loss of her car she said, “Just think how much money I’m saving by not driving a car.” Then she added, “Besides, walking to the mall does me good. I buy my groceries at Save-On-Foods, then haul them home in my little cart. And when I can’t walk anymore, I’ll get a scooter.” She was exuberant that the mall also had a vet office, a bank, a beauty salon and several restaurants. “Everything I need is right here,” she said.

To memory loss she quipped, “Good thing I’m methodical and I write everything down. That helps. And I’m taking medication against Alzheimer’s.” As we talked about the future she expressed absolutely no fear, only a joyous expectancy of heaven.

When I showed her a photo I’d taken of her on my digital camera, she smiled, “Yes, that’s me.” No disparaging remarks about her looks (like I would have made) not even in jest. As far as Anna was concerned life was good and she was making the best of it.

Anna took me out for lunch at a Chinese restaurant within walking distance to her home. She insisted on paying for the meal. “Then let me give the tip,” I said. She agreed and I left a generous tip on the table. Minutes later I heard her say to the girl at the till, “Please add the tip to the bill.” Just like Anna, I thought, to leave a double blessing.

Dear God, Anna has shown me it’s not age but attitude that makes the difference on living abundantly. Teach me to see my daily blessings. Help me to develop a grateful heart. In Jesus’ name, amen.

by Helen Lescheid
used by permission

We Welcome your comments.

Enter Email
reCAPTCHA

SUBSCRIBE BY EMAIL: FOLLOW THIS LINK

Follow Us On:  Facebook  • Twitter  •  Instagram  •  Pinterest

Thoughts by All thoughts by Helen Grace Lescheid Thoughts by Women