“Living in a state of gratitude is the gateway to grace.” Arianna Huffington
“Be present in all things and thankful for all things.”
Maya Angelou
(14) When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. (15) One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. (16) He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
Luke 17:14-16
Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem through the region between Samaria and Galilee, when he entered the village where ten lepers shouted out to him “Master, have mercy on us.” Jesus instructed them to go show themselves to the priest. It was customary that those that were healed of leprosy, had to get a clearance from the priest that they were healed. Of the ten men that were seeking healing, it is ironic that only one of the men ran back to Jesus falling on his face and thanking Jesus for his healing.
How many times have you sought God for healing, a breakthrough from life’s burdens or some difficult situation. Yet, when the situation was over or headed in the right direction you somehow failed to thank God for answering your prayers or simply bringing you through the horrific situation. As a believer, you have the opportunity, daily, to be grateful for something in your life.
According to an article by Joshua Brown and Joel Wong “studies have found that people who consciously count their blessings tend to be happier and less depressed.” Being grateful is essential in the lives of believers. Possessing a grateful heart, you must be intentional. Gratitude is not contingent upon how you feel, what you are encountering or what you think you deserve.
As it states in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 it states give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ. You should intentionally direct your gratitude to God regardless of the situation you find yourself in. For example, you may receive a negative report regarding a loved one’s health. It is in this opportunity you set your heart on being intentionally grateful.
You may ask grateful for what? You can be grateful for the fact that God will be with you through the situation and that God will provide you with the strength, ableness and capability to withstand the situation. In addition, you have to change your perspective on how you view the situation. Maybe your son or daughter and their children have to move back home with you for a period of time. You can view this as a burden and an invasion of your space, or, you could view it from the perspective that you would be afforded the opportunity to be a part of raising your grandchildren and sharing some of the most precious moments of their lives. Maybe you have to live with a situation such as taking care of a spouse or loved one. Yes, being a caretaker is tiresome and taxing, but the greatest joy is that you have the ability to do so. Thus, being thankful that you are in a position to provide care to a loved one. Of course, there will be moments when you’ll need a break or someone to relieve you and that is expected, the key is being grateful for the opportunity and time of sacrificial care.
Gratitude focuses on being grateful for where you are and what God has blessed you with. Oprah Winfrey stated “Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough.” Change your focus on being grateful for the job, the home you live in, your family, your friends, your spouse, your health, your education, and so forth. Your gratitude is the path to your success, inner peace and joy. I encourage you to refuse to allow any situation to dictate your gratitude to God for his goodness.
