Choosing Gratitude

"You [can] choose to either be thankful or unthankful,

 to recognize a blessing or to overlook  it,

 to acknowledge a kindness or to mindlessly ignore it. 

You decide." 

                                                       -Nancy DeMoss

I've been reading a lot lately on gratitude (Enter shameless plug here for "Choosing Gratitude, Your Journey to Joy, by Nancey DeMoss.) and have just come to the conclusion that one can never have enough. Especially as a believer. In the last several weeks the Lord has been prompting me to open my eyes and look around and express my gratitude.

 

It really is a choice. Thankfulness, that is. As someone who struggles with mild depression from time to time sometimes I just can't stand it when someone says, "It's all in your head: it's a choice." Partly, because, well, with depression, it's not that easy but secondly: because I know that they're right when it comes to seeing the good in situations and thankfulness.

I wish I could be super spiritual here and say that I just became really burdened to do word studies on "joy" in the Scripture and just became a Scripture hound; However, that's not it. Between the Lord convicting me on my negativity and the book that I've been reading, trying to choose thankfulness and gratitude has truly been eye opening and has brought a refreshment to my soul.

Life isn't perfect and rosy for me. Needing to find a new place to live, financial plannings and decisions, the possible job hunting, the ministries I'm involved in, the relationships I try to maintain, the burdens on my heart  for life and others, the sins I commit (because, well, I'm a sinner), etc, there's a lot going on and a lot at stake.But I can either look at the circumstances or look at the blessings and trust my Saviour and Provider.

 

I live under a roof. And a beautiful one at that. I have a car. I have a job. I have insurances. I have friends. Friends who pray for me, listen to me and well, talk to me. I have good health. I have food. I have seen hundreds of sunsets and sunrises. Filled countless journals. Seen the stars in the Southern Hemisphere. Lived blocks away from two different oceans. Watched different cultures. Talked with Josh Groban. (True: But I just threw this in here for fun. hehe.) Smelled the roses. Have been taken on dates. Have cried tears of joy for multiple reasons. Have seen miracles occur. Have had to decide which friend I want to hang out with. (As someone who was bullied as a kid: this still never ceases to amaze me.) I have a God who loves me though He knows just how wretched I am. (Disclaimer: this list could go on and on, from the delicious taste of an orange or strawberry to an amazing cup of coffee to the guardian angel who's spared me from some horrific something or other...)

 

The reality is: God showers blessings upon us, the saved and unsaved....(Matthew 5:45, James 1:17) Will you choose to be active and look for them and even more: be thankful for them? Or will you turn you head and walk away? The choice is yours.

[Note: There is also a reality that sometimes what we consider as consequences or even sufferings could be considered blessings... but this is a topic that I need to pray and think upon much more before I write about it.]