All throughout October I studied the scriptures during a “No Fear” Bible reading plan. Verse after verse spoke to me, reminding me that God is with me and I don’t have to be afraid. Just before I started that study, I had begun to read “Anxious for Nothing” by Max Lucado. It immediately spoke to my heart! One of the ways to combat worry and fear that he writes about in this book, is gratitude. When we focus on what we already have instead of all of the “what ifs” we are able to remain calm and not let fear get the best of us. It was then that I started to see how big and helpful the practice of gratitude is and how much of a spiritual discipline it is. It is right there along with reading the Word and praying. It is such a great weapon against fear and worry that I couldn’t believe I hadn’t realized it before!
I knew I needed to work on this area and I started to think on how I could cultivate gratitude; how could I grow in this discipline? November is actually the perfect month to focus on gratitude because we’re getting ready for Thanksgiving and our hearts are already leaning towards counting our blessings and what we’re thankful for. So, if you’d like to start growing more gratitude here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Participate in a Bible study on thanksgiving. God’s Word is how He often speaks to us. There are so many great studies on thankfulness that you can use for quiet time. Study the Scriptures regarding thankfulness and gratitude and see what God has to say to you. There are free studies online or if you missed my post on studies to prepare your heart for Thanksgiving find it HERE.
- Start a gratitude journal. Purchase a special journal or just use a spiral notebook and jot down what you’re thankful for. Jot down favorite memories or the best thing that happened to you that day. Make a list of the people in your life that you’re thankful are a part of it. Write down anything that you’re grateful for- big or small. The way that first sip of hot coffee tastes in the morning. The smile your kiddo gives. Good conversation. If you need inspiration, you can find prompts HERE.
- Do more of what makes you happy. Perhaps you feel happiest out in nature. Make time to hike or spend time at the park. Start a new sewing or craft project. Invest in the hobbies and activities that bring a smile to your face. Let the dishes and laundry wait awhile and play with your kiddos. Think on what brings you joy and do more of that.
- Practice. Honestly, it can be really difficult to feel grateful for things that are happening in life. But focusing on what you already have, especially what you have in Christ, really helps put things into perspective. I found that I wasn’t feeling satisfied with anything in life because I was always focused on what could be better. Talk about robbing myself of joy! When something difficult happened, I would panic or make it worse by dwelling and overthinking on it. I have to practice the habit of seeing the silver lining and making my thoughts go towards the good. Keep trying. It will get easier!
- Think about what you think about. We tend to think we are prisoners to our thoughts. We’re not! We can take every thought captive. We can stop bad thoughts, negativity, discontent, ingratitude right in its tracks! Redirect your thoughts to the good. Think about the things that you can thank God for. Go back to your gratitude journal and start to thank Him for those things.
- Pray. Talk to the Lord. Ask Him to help you develop an attitude of gratitude. Pray for others. Sometimes getting your mind off of your own situation is the best solution. There’s nothing like interceding on behalf of someone else to humble you about your own situation.
This month let’s start our commitment to growing in gratitude! Let’s see how it changes our mindset, renews our joy, and helps us fight against worry and fear! I’m excited to see what the Lord has in store as we commit to grow in gratitude 🙂