Cultivating a Grateful Heart ♥ by Erika Sanchez

 

Hello Brave Hearted Steppers,

How can we cultivate a grateful heart that gives thanks to the Lord with our entire being? Let's start off with the scriptures in 1 Thessalonians 5:18- Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  I learned when something comes to mind that causes discontent, disappointment, worry, or anxiety, I turn it into an opportunity to praise God for who He is, and for what He has done and to express thanksgiving. It changed my attitude and gave me a new perspective. Psalm 69:30 says we magnify God with our thanksgiving. That describes a new perspective. My discontent or worry becomes smaller and He becomes greater. For he is a Great God for all that matters. No matter the situation, I find myself experiencing the joy, peace, and contentment that only He can provide. Developing a heart of gratitude very often comes as a result of the struggles that we have gone through.  Many times, we don’t realize how blessed we are until we’ve lost something or gone through something. There are many ways to cultivate a grateful heart and that is by choosing to focus your time and attention on what you appreciate. There are a few qualities that can cultivate a heart and sweeten your personality with humility, gratitude, compassion, forgiveness, and confession. In (Psalm 118:24 and 26) Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.

I have a lot of reasons to be grateful but I don’t always choose to see my many blessings. I don’t think I am alone; I think we all have a bent to want more and be discontent. There is hope though, we all have the choice to be grateful. It is not always easy to be this way, but I felt that it was the only way of life to create and cultivate a grateful heart. There are times when the Holy Spirit reveals to me that I am more focused on making an idol of my problems than keeping Christ the center of my life, I realize I need to change that. Change starts for me by acknowledging my unhealthy thoughts and behaviors, bringing those thoughts to Christ, and surrendering to Him the weight of my insecurities. When I choose to humble myself before God tenderizes my heart and makes room for gratitude toward Christ. Then I ask God in prayer Lord, forgive me for my ungrateful heart and attitude toward you. I repent for making my situation an idol in my heart. Help me to see my circumstances through your eyes and to keep my focus on you. I choose to praise you in whatever I do and in every season.

How can we cultivate a grateful heart during challenging seasons? By taking the time to remember all God has already done. Take time to reflect on your testimonies of the times God has protected, provided, and restored you in other seasons. Here’s a practical example: I love having my coffee every morning. If you drink coffee or tea in the morning, this is a great connection between God and I . Drinking your morning coffee will soon become a reminder to give thanks for something each day with a grateful heart.

Talk about the wonderful things He has done in our lives and those around us. Focus on sharing His wondrous deeds in your life, and you will find you don’t have room for complaints. Friends, it’s hard to be ungrateful when you take the time to see what God has already done in your life, even at your worst moments. Yet, all is necessary, so he is able to teach us to be more humble and trust him that he is in control at all times and testify to others who have gone through a similar situation.

Psalms 145:1 I will exalt YOU, my God, O King, And [with gratitude and submissive wonder] I will bless Your name forever and ever.

I’ll end with this, gratitude adds joy to us, it helps us affirm God’s grace to us and rejoice in that. Moreover, when our hearts are touched by thankfulness, we are less likely to do anything that upsets the God we are grateful to. So we will think twice about gratifying our flesh and giving in to sin. May God help us all to cultivate a heart of thanksgiving and enjoy our relationship with God.

Blessings,
Erika Sanchez