Cultivating Thankfulness

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

It was summer the day before July 4th and I was going for a walk listening to my bible app. I asked God to lead to wherever he wanted me to go. Before I knew it I felt this strong urge to hop on the metro and take the train down to D.C. and I spent my walk/run enjoying the views of the nation’s capital. Sometimes God has a pretty cool way of surprising us when we let Him. There are many times in life when I’ve asked myself, God what is your will for my life? What do you want me to do? Am I doing what you want me to do? I once was told by a pastor that God’s will was for me to do good, and then do the next right thing and then the next. When I think about this day I think about how loved I felt. The Lord led me to spend my night here in D.C. and on my way back I was surprised by a free live concert. There was an orchestra rehearsing for the July 4th festival and I love music so much so it felt like such a treat. I was thrilled to be able to sit in the front row listening to these live performers.

Although not everyday is like this, I think it’s pretty common for people to ask the question. God what do you want me to do? What is your will for my life? If we read the Bible then we can figure out His will for our lives which actually is pretty simple. So what is God’s will for my life? According to 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 it says, to “rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Rejoicing always, praying continually and giving thanks in all circumstances is not something that we naturally do. I can speak for myself when I say I don’t always feeling being joyful, or praying, or giving thanks. However I do believe that it starts with having an attitude of prayer. Being prayerful can look like praying before you leave your home in the morning asking God to bless your day, or when you’re about to go to work, asking God to help you with your conversations with your coworkers, etc. Yes it can be that intentional time with the Lord, and I believe we should all have that time, but if you’re just starting your walk with God you can start with little things. Then I think it’s important to be intentional about what you’re grateful for and think about those things. Like writing a gratitude list, or just making your own mental list and letting your mind meditate on that. It can be hard to do sometimes when we’re busy or we’re going through something hard in our lives, but it does make a difference. Even if it’s a little difference that you feel, it’s something to shift that energy into feeling lighter. I believe the more that we cultivate that gratitude the more than we can rest and rejoice in the Lord.

So what are you grateful for today? Make a list of 10 things you are grateful. Spend some time thanking God and feel the shift of your energy shifting in a lighter more joyful version of yourself.

For this day I was grateful that the Lord led me to a beautiful experience. I’m grateful that I can count on God to lead me in all areas of my life and trust that He has his highest good planned for me. I may not know the details of His plans for my life, but knowing that I am always loved, protected, and provided for is enough for today.

God bless you brothers and sisters in Christ, have a blessed day.