Tag: Philippians 4:6-7

How To Be Thankful And Grateful.

Gratitude to me is thankfulness in action. Being thankful is not only good manners it is a heart response to show appreciation to others.  We are celebrating the ‘Thanksgiving Holiday’ this month, but we need to be thankful and grateful all year long. Thankfulness and gratitude comes from the heart of humility. It shows appreciation to others without resentment or wanting something in return.

According to the dictionary what does grateful mean? Grateful is “feeling or showing an appreciation of kindness; thankful” received or experienced with gratitude; welcome”

“By definition: thankfulness is feeling pleased and relieved. Gratefulness is showing appreciation for something done or received. Being thankful is more about expressing a feeling like saying “thank you.” “Where thankfulness is an emotion, gratitude is an attitude of appreciation under any circumstance. Gratitude involves being thankful, but it is more than that. Gratitude means expressing thankfulness and being appreciative of life daily even when nothing exciting happens.”

These definitions show us the difference between the words but in reality they both are necessary to have in life. Feelings will follow thoughts, but gratitude shows through in your attitude.

Ask yourself these three questions to know if you are a thankful and grateful.

First, do I appreciate the little gestures of kindness?  Secondly, do I express my gratitude with words and deeds? Thirdly, do I look for ways to express my thankfulness? If you consistently do these things your living with a thankful and grateful heart. 

If not, there is hope for you. By looking at your thoughts and actions. We change when we repent and ask God to forgive us for not being thankful. Then ask the Lord to show you how to be thankful for the trivial things in life.  Start a thankful list to remind yourself of things that are good and pleasant. Enjoy the trivial things in life by looking at the beauty around you and appreciate it. These small steps will lead you to having a thankful and grateful heart.

Here are a few thankful Scriptures to mediate on: I suggest saying them out loud so that you will hear them.

Psalm 136:1 “O give thanks unto the LORD; for his mercy endures forever.”

Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be make know to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Psalm 95:2 “Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise.”

I Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”

What Are The Three Things You Can Do While Waiting?

I think this matter could have many different answers depending on what you’re waiting for. Are you patient or impatient? What is the benefit of waiting? When I think about waiting on something or someone it stirs in me thoughts of ‘what do I do while I wait.’ These are questions we will answer.

So, let’s see the word wait, it means “stay where one is or delay action until a particular time or until something else happens,” That is kind of a general definition. Depends on what you are waiting for such as finishing a task or degree, buying a house, etc. These are events that have a time schedule but what if you’re waiting on something you don’t know when it will happen such as a major change in life or a healing. How then do you wait without giving up hope?

The first thing to do while you wait is Pray. Prayer is communication with God. There are times of prayer that we ask, seek, and knock and other times we sit still and listen. I choose to give God every situation because He knows all aspects of my situations and I do not. Prayer is petitions, intercessions and worship, believing God hears and answers our requests. I heard Joyce Meyer say these words, “Simple believing faith.” I liked that explanation because it made it practical for me. Instead of long oratorical prayers try simple believing prayers that are direct to the point. God already knows what we are thinking, and He is not judging how elegant our prayers are He’s looking on the faith connection in prayers.

The second thing to do while waiting is put your Trust in God. If you prayed about it know God heard, you. When you are a child of God, He hears your prayers. Answers do not always come instantly but God does not forget like humans do. He is completely trustworthy because God cannot lie. I choose to speak the word of God to my situations it builds my faith. Reading the Word of God daily builds our faith. As your trusting God you may get tempted to be frustrated or anxious in your wait. But choose instead to be thinking on things that are good, lovely and a good report Philippians 4:6-7 is a reassuring scripture of what we are to do. Verse 6) “Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving let your requests be made know to God; 7) and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

 The third thing to do while you are waiting is Praise. You can praise God any time of the day. Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, Rejoice!” Rejoice does not mean ‘thank him for the problem’ but thank him in the waiting by rejoicing in His goodness, sing unto the Lord a new song. Make melody in heart towards the Lord. The more you praise the lighter you will feel. I choose to cast my care unto God and remind myself He loves me and is taking care of me.

Everyone’s wait will be different but we all could wait with His grace. His grace is sufficient for each one of us. The advantage in waiting is learning to lean on Him for his strength & grace. If you fight impatience, then repent and ask for the grace to wait. Waiting is a time of growth. Enjoy your wait through prayer, trust and praise.

Blessings,

Dr. Annette

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