Today’s lesson is on Gratitude.

I try to be a grateful person. I don’t always succeed. Today I started a six-week lunchtime class from our Wellness Center on Gratitude. The first lesson was to try not focus on negative thoughts and activities but on the positive. Too often we focus on the ills of the world, of our families, of our community, of our life situation. I don’t make enough money. I am not valued. I am not x,y,z. We don’t focus on the good in life. One of my group mates laughed when I said a good thing was we woke up in the morning. Then, of course, the, I have a roof over my head, food in my belly, and a job came quickly. Most times we say this and it is trite and worn. But think about it, we are blessed. Many in the world don’t have these things we take for granted. Myself, I was thankful that we finished our first cash flow planning document. It wasn’t perfect and isn’t necessarily where I want to be in life, but we are making progress. We are thankful.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:21

“You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.” – 2 Corinthians 9:11-12

When we are grateful for our treasures, our heart is there. We need to look at the little things and rejoice in them. Yes, we have to deal with the hardships, but when our hearts are grounded in gratitude for the Lord has provided, the lacking of things reduces. We are blessed. Maybe not in riches of the wallet, but in thoughts of the mind, and emotions of the heart. We need to continue to provide a service for others in which we and the person we are serving are both rewarded.

Are you ready to take a few minutes every day to be gracious and thankful for everything you have? Are you willing to write down what you are grateful for?

I am.

#45of365 #FaithBites #FaithJourney