Wouldn’t it be wonderful if in addition to celebrating Thanksgiving once a year, we practiced thanksliving all year round? Living with a heart of thanks requires that our core attitude is characterized by gratefulness. Here are a few practical ways to develop a gratitude attitude:
1. Daily remember your benefits.
Begin a list of the many blessings God has given you, and review and add to it every day. Psalm 68:19 says, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.” Since God loads us with benefits daily, shouldn’t we notice them and thank Him?
2. Talk about God’s blessings.
Make it natural conversation in your home to speak of God’s blessings. In a world of negativity, our children need to hear us talk about God’s goodness and the privilege it is to serve Him. Even your unsaved co-workers will benefit from hearing you exalt the Lord. “O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy” (Psalm 107:1-2).
3. Meditate on God’s goodness.
Think all day long about the blessings of the Lord as you go about your daily routines. When you are meditating on God’s goodness, it is easy to speak of Him to others: “I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.” (Psalm 77:12).
Truly, gratitude is more than a holiday—it is an attitude. Let’s develop the gratitude attitude this month and maintain it all year long!
