The Gratitude Attitude

However, this can come more quickly to us, when we can develop a grateful attitude, towards the different situations in our lives. We have a God who wants to do something good, and loving for us every day. 

God told us that we would have trouble in our lives. He also promised us, that He would enable us to overcome our troubles. The Lord uses troubles to call us into a more trusting relationship with Him. His calling cards are not what we would expect of Him, but He often uses our weaknesses to display His strength and power. 

God is busy building His kingdom, and He will not let our weaknesses get in His way. For every situation our Lord has created a solution. Sin and evil will not stop Him. Our deaf ears and our hardened hearts will not stop Him. All the plans of men will not stop Him. He will have His way and He will have His victory. The fastest way to receive His victory, is to develop an attitude of gratitude. I would like to explain the steps of how to have this attitude in our lives. 

12 Seps to a Grateful Attitude: 
1. Remember the good things in the past. Ask God, to remind you of the good things, that He has done for you in the past. The past is one of the keys to handling the present and the future. God raises up His presence, in our lives if we remember His power, with thankfulness, and confidence. In recalling His actions and saving grace, we stir His heart to save us and share with us His love again.  When the Israelites did not do this, they wandered 40 years in the desert. A thankful attitude is the quickest way out of our trouble. 

2. Give thanks for what you have and trust Him. When you need something else, God will give it to you. The best way to receive something else from the Lord, is to be thankful for what you have. It’s better to receive God’s blessings, with an open hand, than with closed fists. Despite our opinion, our loving Father knows what we need and when we need it. His timing will reveal His love, and give us gifts of joy. 

3. Make a habit of helping others, and He will make a habit of helping you. In helping others, we can get a perspective on our own difficulties. God pours out His heart to those who show His heart. This is also an excellent opportunity to learn about serving others, and to build relationships. The Lord uses a habit of helping others, to carry us to more blessings, and to a deeper knowledge of God. 

4. Do things for Jesus, not just yourself. Doing things for Jesus is the best motive to do anything. When we honor Him, He comes to honor us. When we love someone, we do things for them. Our relationship to God is no different. God loves it when we do things for His Son, Jesus. In doing this, the character of Jesus is revealed to those you love, and we grow in unselfishness. 

5. Share possessions, talents and time to others and Jesus will give Himself to you. When we give these away, we open ourselves up to receiving. We are reminded that we too, except for the grace of God, could be in the same position. In giving, we open our hearts to see God’s perspective. In watching others receive, we learn to receive too. Jesus reveals Himself to the cheerful and through the cheerful giver. By giving ourselves away, the Holy Spirit reveals things about ourselves that were not known before. 

6. Practice kindness, mercy and tenderness every day. Kindness, mercy, and tenderness are major qualities of our Lord’s heart. As we practice these, God softens our heart to become more like His. We become what we do, and we are what we become. First, it is important to meditate on these qualities, and second, it is even more important to practice them. The Lord is close to the kind- hearted, and He will reveal Himself to them. 

7. Learn about the ways of others, for you will learn about yourself and about Jesus. It’s hard to be grateful for something, or someone, you don’t know anything about. Learning about the good qualities of people, helps us to be more grateful for them. As we learn to look for the good in others, God will show us the good in ourselves. Jesus is the author of every good thing. In looking for the good in others, we find the good in ourselves, and also the goodness of our God. He does good, to those who desire good. People are honored and built up when we want to learn about them. Everyone desires to feel important and accepted. This is God’s desire for His people, and this is His plan for our lives. 

8. Practice being humble so that you are not too busy for someone else. God honors those who humble themselves before Him, and make themselves available to serve others. When we die to our own ways, God will give His ways to us. Humility makes us more approachable to God, and invites His presence. 

9. Do not be afraid to help build the dreams of others, and God will build His dreams in us. God builds His kingdom as He gives His people His dreams. We benefit from a common vision and goals. His people are lost without a vision. Self-centeredness is what makes us lost. 

10. Look for Jesus everywhere in your circumstances and you will find Him working in them. Let the Lord use your trouble and your frustration, and He will reveal Himself to you in them. Remember that it is better to find Jesus, than just the solution to your problem. Those who look for Jesus the most will find Jesus the most. 

11. Showing love is an action, and not just a feeling. Love that is based on a decision, is much more powerful, and permanent, than loving when we feel like it. The world is bound up in self-centeredness and emptiness. It is a world that is ruled by feelings, and swayed by the opinions of others, who fear losing even what they have. Loving decisions create power, but living by one’s feelings leaves emptiness and confusion. 

12. Trouble is a part of life, but gratitude will turn trouble into blessing. The praise and worship of God is an awesome weapon here. If we are not surprised by trouble, we will not be ruled by trouble. We need to be ruled by God and His promises to us, not by trouble and circumstances. The people who are not surprised by trouble, will be prepared for trouble. When trouble comes, Jesus arrives if we trust in Him.