I Am Grateful.
This statement has become part of my morning “I am statements” affirmations.
I think that being grateful and expressing gratitude is not something that comes naturally.
Rather it is so easy to not walk in gratitude on a daily basis; to forget about all of the wonderful benefits that the Lord God Almighty has bestowed upon us through the passion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.
philippians 4:4
for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
philippians 4:11
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
i thessalonians 5:18
Confessions of the Soul
If the Hebrew nation had spent their time being grateful for having been delivered from slavery, they would not had died in the wilderness.
We have so much to be grateful for, the most awesome being that our Lord and Savior has turned our eternal destination from hell to heaven. It is easy for us to go about our daily business acting as if that is not the greatest thing that has ever occurred in the earth.
And to make things worst, we complain about all kinds of things that we think that we are entitled to.
There came a time when the Lord made it quite clear to me that I would not be moving forward until I was content with where I was. Wow! I thought that I was being content. But the truth of the matter was that I was still anxious about the state that I was in (the wilderness), and I was just ready to move from that place of “stagnation” in my life. However, I was not going anywhere until I made a decision to be content in “whatsoever state that I am in” (Philippians 4:11). And because I was willing and obedient, He gave me rest in the place that I was in.
He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
psalms 25:9
It takes time to learn how to become willing and obedient. You wrestle with God because there is a lot that He requires from us in getting us out of ourselves and into the place that He is calling us to.
It is part of the process as you walk through wilderness seasons. And learning how to cultivate an attitude of gratitude, rejoicing always in whatever state that you are in is extremely important in the sight of God.
The Spirit is Willing, But the Flesh is Weak
Murmuring and complaining about your situation is a one way ticket back around that same mountain. The Lord wants us to look to Him with adoration, affection and devotion, because truly His grace is sufficient for us in any situation that we are facing.
(Lord, help me to tap into that grace.)
When we surrender it all to Him, He will give us rest and peace, even in the midst of a storm.
Calling All “True Worshippers”
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
john 4:23
If there is one thing that I know about “true worshippers”, it’s that they don’t complain about their problems; they praise and worship through them; and they are tremendously blessed as a result.
I’ll let you in on a secret: Cultivating an attitude of gratitude is a prerequisite for exiting out of your wilderness season and entering into your land of promise.
Three Ways to Experience the Power of Gratitude
- Let Go and Let God. Stop wrestling with Him and learn how to be willing and obedient to His Word.
- Instead of complaining, give God praise and ask Him to help you in and through the situation.
- Make gratitude a daily affirmation (I am grateful). Give thanks everyday for the littles things.
If complaining caused the Israelites to die in the wilderness, then gratitude is the antidote for helping us to move forward and press toward the mark for the prize of your high calling in Christ Jesus.
Let’s Pray:
Father, in the Name of Jesus, this is the day that You have made, help me to rejoice and be glad in it. For You are great and greatly to be praised, and You are all that I need to sustain me. Help me to realize that without You, I can not do anything, but that with You all things are possible. Thank You. Amen.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
JOHN 3:16
Grace and Peace,
Silvana
