My day is filled with prayers of gratitude, many are said in the sanctuary of my own heart to the heavenly Father.
OFTEN:
* On my way to work I am thankful and often pray a little thanks.
* When I talk to people I say a little prayer in my heart of thankfulness.
* When I see flowers beside the road I am thankful and praise God in my heart.
* When I do household chores I am thankful, and often tell God as I am working.
* When a child smiles at me I am thankful and often in bedtime prayers ask God to bless the child.
* When I sit in the park and look at the sky I am thankful and often pray out loud in the park.
* When I sit in church and consider the blessings of God I am thankful in my worship.
Thankfulness is a choice and a moral conviction; you have to have both to develop the practice of thankfulness.
DIMENSIONS OF THANKFULNESS
Thankfulness has several dimensions; the heart and mind are two, one often leads the other. We must see which one is ahead and encourage the other along. You may have an experience which brings happiness, that may be time to add the intellect and express to God what you are feeling.
In a difficult time you know you should be thankful for other blessings, though you can't force happiness you should still express the intellectual truth that morally you are thankful. Emotions may come later, but if not it is OK, thankfulness is more than emotions.
CHOOSE THANKFUL
Thankfulness is a spiritual choice, a person knows God has blessed them so the right thing to do is to give God thanks. The Bible tells us to be thankful, so to obey God makes the choice of being
thankful.
Thankfulness is also an intellectual choice. You are aware that many do not have your particular blessings so you know you should be thankful.
FEELING THANKFUL
You may not feel thankful but you must BE thankful. If the feeling of gratitude doesn't come it is not a problem because feelings are not the point. Being what God meant us to be is the point, God meant us to experience his fellowship and blessings; thankfulness is a cornerstone to experiencing God's blessings. In a normal healthy person the feelings of thankfulness will develop if the practice of thankfulness is observed.
NOT BEING THANKFUL IS NOT AN OPTION:
* Failing to be thankful is an insult to God who has blessed you.
* Failing to be thankful is bad for your body, spirit and mind.
* Failing to be thankful is to embrace cynicism, become ungracious and complaining.
* Failing to be thankful is to distance other people from you.
* Failing to be thankful sets up barriers in your life, relationships, and career.
THE FRUIT OF THANKFULNESS:
* Thankfulness makes you a gracious person who others will admire and be drawn to.
* Thankfulness draws opportunities to you.
* Thankfulness us good for your health and mental well-being.
* Thankfulness brings fulfillment.
Choose to be the kind of person you were meant to be- choose to be thankful.
