A Prayer to Preserve a Grateful Coronary heart
By Lynette Kittle

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of 1 physique you had been referred to as to peace. And be grateful” – Colossians 3:15

Having a grateful coronary heart appears to be uncommon as of late and at a premium to search out. Social media is full and overflowing with discontented hearts–hearts which are offended, dissatisfied, damage, grieving, and extra. Nonetheless, God calls us to be grateful. So the place and the way will we achieve gratefulness in such an ungrateful world?

Many people reside with an outlook of lack, seeing all of the issues they don’t have as a result of it’s a lot simpler to have a look at our glasses half-empty than half-full. Seeing our lives as missing leads us to consider that if we solely have extra—extra of the issues we consider we must be comfortable— our lives and our attitudes could be totally different. But it surely’s not true. Grateful hearts don’t come from proudly owning issues, holding positions, or having everybody love us. In an ever-changing world, there is no such thing as a assure of hanging onto earthly possessions, particularly within the shadow of pure disasters, wars, and extra. 

It’s As much as Us to Select
Whether or not we consider it or not, particularly as Christians, it’s as much as us to decide on to concentrate on what God has so graciously given us moderately than what the world offers and takes away each day. Godly gratefulness is just not depending on what we personal; but, God has given us a lot to be pleased about in life.

Colossians 3:17 encourages, “And no matter you do, whether or not in phrase or deed, do all of it within the identify of the Lord Jesus, giving due to God the Father by way of Him.”

Even when now we have nothing to our names, now we have extremely legitimate causes to thank Him each day. Issues, positions, places, and extra don’t convey happiness; moderately, true gratitude comes from deep inside us.

Gratefulness as a Sacrifice
Sadly, life typically brings tragic losses of family members, houses, jobs, and extra, however nonetheless God calls us to be grateful. He is aware of our weaknesses and understands how it may be tough for us to take action once we’re dissatisfied, discouraged, struggling, or grieving. Though 1 Thessalonians 5:18 instructs us to “Give thanks in all circumstances; for that is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus,” it doesn’t imply we thank God for the unhappy conditions, however thank Him within the midst of them.

Some believers are confused by this verse, pondering God expects us to thank Him for the unhappy and tragic conditions and losses that convey us disappointment, discouragement, struggling, and grief. However He’s not. God’s given us so many religious blessings, not depending on our circumstances, that we are able to reward Him and provides Him thanks regardless of our state of affairs. He’s compassionate and acknowledges this sort of gratitude as a candy sacrifice to Him. Psalm 116:17 encourages our sacrificial thankfulness. “I’ll sacrifice a thank providing to You and name on the identify of the Lord.” 

After we do, God responds, as recorded in Psalm 50:23. “Those that sacrifice thank choices honor Me, and to the innocent I’ll present My salvation.” In unsure occasions, God calls us to concentrate on Him and His faithfulness as an alternative of our conditions, to remind ourselves of His promise to by no means depart or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5) and to belief Him to assist us by way of the whole lot we face in life.

Let’s pray: 

Expensive Father,
Thanks for all Your religious blessings You so lovingly and graciously bestow upon me. As Ephesians 1:3 states, “Reward be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us within the heavenly realms with each religious blessing in Christ.” Strengthen and encourage me, Lord, to be grateful each day of my life for all You might have given to me. Assist me to concentrate on all Your advantages. Lead me to dwell a lifetime of honest gratitude to You. Preserve my coronary heart softened and set on searching for You. Train me by way of Your Holy Spirit to stroll and dwell each day of the yr, with a grateful coronary heart, not depending on my state of affairs and circumstances however based mostly on who You might be and what You’ve given Me by way of Jesus Christ, my Savior.
In Jesus’ identify, Amen

Picture credit score: ©GettyImages/ksenija18kz

Lynette Kittle is married with 4 daughters. She enjoys writing about religion, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been printed by Concentrate on the Household, Choice, In the present day’s Christian Lady, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and extra. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent College and serves as affiliate producer for Soul Examine TV.

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