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This is National Gratitude Month. It’s not hard to find something to be thankful for. God has given us breath in our lungs and a new day! Family, friends, jobs, homes – the list goes on and on. And yet, if I’m being honest, it’s not always praise and thanksgiving that I’m spouting. Why is it so easy to focus on what we think we’re missing vs. all that we’ve been given?
Life is crazy busy, maybe busier than it’s ever been. I think maybe that’s part of it. We’re so busy “doing,” that we feel overwhelmed – and that can lead to complaining. If we don’t keep that in check, it can become our default setting. Yikes! (Full disclosure: my original run-on title of this blog was “How one small, slow leak turned into an expensive mountain of frustration and a valuable lesson in patience, letting go and having an attitude of gratitude.” Yeah, God’s consistent in those lessons He’s teaching me!)
Can we challenge ourselves instead to be purposeful in our gratitude? When our days feel like one big blur that leaves us exhausted, let’s thank God for the gift of today, the day He has made. When life feels hard and we’re in a season of waiting, let’s thank God for His perfect timing as He works it all out for good. Those days that feel filled with setbacks and aggravations? We can thank Him then, too. Thank Him for being present, even in the smallest of trials.
Need some assistance along the way? I came across this 30-Days of Praise Challenge from crosswalk.com recently, and it’s full of helpful scriptures and prayers to encourage this journey of thankfulness. (Needless to say, I’m grateful for it! Maybe you will be, too?) Let’s do this!