Men ought to have hearts of gratitude
1. We need to be grateful to God
God has been gracious to us since we came into this world. We need to set our eyes on things above and not on things below. By the way all the essentials that keep us going are freely given by God; the life we live, the children we get, the air we breathe, the sunlight, the air breezes, etc are all freely given by God. We must be grateful to Him.
We genuinely express the gratitude we have for what God has given us. We realize how much we have received that we didn't have anything to do with. We articulate the feeling of thanks within us.
2. We need to be grateful for the life we have received.
We have a lot to be grateful for. So much of what we are grateful for is basic, taken for granted. Like the fact that we are alive. We have been given the gift of life and we had nothing to do with that. We were given life and it wasn't because of anything we did. It wasn't because we earned it or deserved it; it was just given to us as a gift. Maybe the place to begin in giving thanks is for the gift of life.
3. We need to be grateful for the world we live in
Part of life that we are grateful for is this amazing world in which we live. God's creation. We take for granted the sunrise every morning and the sunset at night, the changing of the seasons, the trees and sky and open fields. It is a wondrous place. We can be thankful every day. It's another of those gifts we've received that we had nothing to do with. We didn't earn it, deserve it or have anything to do with its creation. It is a freely given gift.
4. We need to be grateful for relationships we have with other people
Let us think of how important our relationships with other people are. What are the friendships that you hold most dear? Who supports you, encourages you, listens to you, and helps you? And to whom do you provide help, comfort, and affirmation? The Bible is a book of relationships. It's difficult for most of us to get by without solid friendships.
5. We must be grateful to our families.
The greatest gift we have is our spouses and then our children. We have to be very grateful for the gift of our spouses and children and by extension, our families. Spend quality time with your spouse and also with your children.
6. We must be grateful to people around us.
It's important to thank people because it recognizes their help. It's also important because it helps us realize how much we depend on others to succeed, and in fact, to get by each day.
Christ has taught us that an important way to express our thanks is in sharing with other people. For Christians it is natural when we have received a great gift to share it with others.
7. We must grateful for what we don’t have and focus on what we have.
Have you ever looked around you and bemoaned how little you have? Compare your life to these people’s lives, and be grateful for the life you have. Realize that it’s already more than enough and that happiness is not a destination.
Finally
Gratitude is to be expressed. We are commanded to "give thanks." Now that is excellent advice because a grateful person will be a happier person; a grateful person will be a healthier person; a grateful person will be a holier person.
Gratitude is not an option, it is an obligation. It is a sin to be ungrateful. As a matter of fact, there may be no greater sin on the face of the earth than the sin of ingratitude.
Thankfulness is a way of life where we live in gratitude, express our gratefulness, and share the good that we have been given with other people.
Gratitude is an expression of how much we depend on God and each other. It is recognizing how much we have received from God and from the people around us. Being grateful can improve anyone's life.
Stop murmuring and be a man of gratitude.
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