“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever!”
– Psalm 107:1
I love Thanksgiving. A long weekend dedicated to eating lots of good food and hanging out with family is pretty great if you ask me!
It’s also a time when we are reminded of the many things to be grateful for, which is why our themes for this month are gratitude, appreciation and celebration. Lately, gratitude has become quite a popular discussion. From psychologists to mindfulness practitioners, we are being encouraged to take note of things we are thankful for. The Bible also reminds us many times to give thanks.
In the Old Testament, the Israelites would create reminders when something happened that they were grateful for. When God provided for them, delivered them from an enemy, or answered their prayer they would build a memorial out of rocks so that every time someone passed that spot they would know there was reason to be thankful.
Today, we don’t see or think much of a pile of rocks, but there are other ways we can remind ourselves to be thankful. We can write it down, share it with friends or social media, put a reminder into our calendar or phone.
By taking time to remember and be grateful, our focus can be redirected from focusing on the tough moments alone. When we are intentionally doing this in the better moments, it will be more natural to be thankful in the harder moments. When we practice thankfulness in our own lives, it is easier to share with those around us as our gratitude can spread through both appreciation and celebration.
Living in a state of gratitude can help us get through tough situations or low moments.
As we start this new month, let’s intentionally practice gratitude as we strive to be “The Hand of God, in the Heart of the City.”
Grace & Peace,
Erin
Prayer
God, sometimes life gets me down and I find it hard to see things to be thankful for. Open my eyes to see the gifts you’ve given me in my life. I’m going to start by thanking you for loving me enough to come to earth and die so we can live together forever.
Amen
(Adapted from here)