Do you give thanks with your whole heart? Psalm 9:1 I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart. What does that look like when we are facing bad news or a brutal reality? It’s got to mean more than slapping on a smile and having a toxic fake-it-til-you-make-it attitude. Here’s what it means to me.
I’ve got an acrostic to help you remember how you can choose to be thankful with your whole heart.
FAITH
F - Focus
A - Attention
I - Intention
T - Thinking God’s Thoughts
H - Holy Spirit Help
F – Focus – look at what God is doing, not at what is threatening to occur
Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm. Matthew 8:23-26 (New Living Translation)
Don’t deny the reality you’re facing, but use the power of lament to turn your feelings over to God and move on to praise and thanksgiving. Read the Psalms until you get one the FEELS like you do…and pour out your heart to God with it.
Do I use lament to move to thanksgiving?
A – Attention – Keep focused on the right thoughts
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9 (New Living Translation)
Don’t ignore the reality of what you’re facing, but choose to feel grateful for something in it. Using a gratitude journal can help you train yourself to do this http://revtrev.link/gratitude We need to treat all hardship as discipline knowing our good Father will work all things together for good. We don’t deny the reality we’re facing, but we do think about what we think about.
Do I think about what I think about?
I – Intention – Make plans and follow them through with those plans to change your thinking
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 (New Living Translation)
Psalm 9:1 I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done. Giving thanks with your whole heart means you make the decision to give thanks; you feel gratitude; and you do something to show your appreciation. When you’re doing that, Holy Spirit transforms you.
Do I give thanks with my whole heart?
T – Thinking God’s Thoughts
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message)
Jesus said, (John 15:3) You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. We can’t expect to have God’s thoughts if his word isn’t in us , living and active like a double-edged sword. One of the best ways his spoken word gets in us is through the written word.
Am I letting the word read me?
H – Holy Spirit Help
But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. 1 John 2:27 (New Living Translation)
God empowers you to accomplish every good work prompted by faith. You can’t give thanks with your whole heart without doing it in FAITH.
Do I trust God is working all things together for good?
FAITH
Focus
Attention
Intention
Thinking God’s Thoughts
Holy Spirit help
You see for me, FAITH lets me give thanks with my whole heart. It brings me focus and stops worry.
Did you miss these posts on RevTrev.com?
How to make your life better with a gratitude challenge
Want an amazing Gratitude Journal? Let me send you mine
3 Things you can do to be more grateful this Thanksgiving
5 things you can do to feel gratitude in troubling times
7 Reasons Gratitude Benefits You
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