A Grateful Heart

Much is being said these days about "thankfulness" and being grateful.  The times we are living in are a struggle for so many, that remembering to be thankful is probably the last thing on people's minds.  I've actually had folks say to me that they don't have one thing in their life to be thankful for.  While life may be hard and circumstances may be far from perfect, I just can't imagine not having one thing in my life for which I'm grateful.

My Gripes Be Gone Bracelet

I'm reading Linda Dillow's book "What's it Like to be Married to Me".  She has a bracelet that comes in conjunction with the book that she call's the "Gripes Be Gone bracelet".  Every time you gripe or complain, you have to switch the bracelet to the other wrist.  The theory is to wear the bracelet for 21 days in a row without griping.  Here is the astonishing part; it takes the average person 4 to 8 months to go 21 days in a row without griping!  Isn't that just crazy?!  I have had the bracelet for a week now and have not managed to go one whole day yet without a gripe.  I'm getting so much better, but I still have a way to go.  My biggest gripe is traffic, but that's another story.


When we get in the habit of speaking out the frustrating things, the "yuck" in our lives, it begins to take hold of us on the inside and then "out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh" Luke 6:45.  I think that's why Scripture admonishes us; "Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about these things." Phil 4:8 (NIV)


Were you ever in a play that you had to memorize lines for?  You had to rehearse and rehearse and rehearse your part until it became second nature to you.  You could eventually say the lines without even thinking about them.  I think that's how thankfulness works.  We find the good things in our lives and then rehearse and rehearse and rehearse them.  Soon, our hearts are full of gratefulness to God for the small things, the big things and for things that we never even thought about before.

Sweet Basil

I'll give you an example of something I've turned from griping into thankfulness.  Our city has had an unbearably hot summer this year with temperatures over 105° many days in a row.  I love to garden and if you have read my earlier post The Master Gardener then you know that I have been very frustrated that none of my vegetables have been able to survive the summer heat.  I have been upset that so much time, effort and money has been spent to make my little garden grow and it seemed all for nothing.  I must confess that I have griped long and hard about it.  Until, the day that I realized that my herbs have flourished and I have been able to cook with fresh herbs all summer long.  I know that may seem like a small thing to be grateful for, but I LOVE being able to cook with fresh herbs right out of the garden!  Once I started rehearsing how grateful I was that I have fresh herbs to cook with, I soon forgot about the rest of my parched, cracked garden.  I could truly feel a shift in my heart.


You see, friends, God is able to work with a heart that is overflowing in an abundance of gratitude.  A heart that has been rehearsing ungratefulness and complaints has become closed off to the things of God.  God's nature and blessings won't flow naturally like a well rehearsed script if you've hardened your heart.  If you can sit down in a quiet place with a pen and paper and ask God to show you the blessings that He's given you, you might be surprised at how many things you are able to write down!


What things can you think of that God has done for you?  What blessings are you rehearsing today?  They can be small, like herbs in a garden or they can be huge blessings, like a child recovering from an illness.  Whatever they are, rehearse them, open your heart and let God pour Himself into you in the midst of any circumstance!  If you have something that you're thankful for that you'd like to share, leave a comment and share it with us.  You can also visit a wonderful blog "I Live in an Antbed" and share a post there!  I look forward to hearing from you!  I pray you discover a multitude of blessings from God to be grateful for!


From His Lap,