It is that time of year again. A time to be thankful for God’s blessings in our lives. But, what if you are feeling you don’t have much to be thankful for? There have been many times in my life where practicing the principal in Philippians has been so hard for me. Have you felt that way to? Maybe you are feeling that way right now. You are not alone, I can promise that!
I’ve been discussing how to prevent a relapse this month and actually, being grateful can prevent me from relapsing. In Philippians, Paul writes to a church he has ministered to before. Although he is in prison, Paul writes these words to the church of Philippi:
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
This scripture really got me thinking, if a man who is in prison because of his faith in Jesus Christ can be “anxious for nothing” and pray with “thanksgiving”, then I wonder what would happen if I start being thankful for something every day? So, I did that very thing. In January of this year, I began a gratitude journal. Each day, I made it a point to find at least one thing to be grateful for. I found that even on my worst day, I could at least be grateful for one thing.
God provides everything that is good to me, that is enough to be grateful for.
Here’s what I’ve learned: God provides everything that is good to me, that is enough to be grateful for. Listen, I’ve been in prison myself, not literally, but the prison of control, co-dependency, and shopping addiction. I’ve also been in an abusive and controlling marriage before, so I know what it is like to feel like I am in prison. I am so grateful God delivered me from those prisons.
By having an attitude of gratitude each day, I am able to see how God provides, even on my worst days.
Take me to the next post in the series.