Today’s Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:18
In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Residing in Gladstone, Bradley Harris Wolf at only 16 years old suffered from cerebral palsy and was totally unable to speak, dress, feed or in any way look after himself. He was in fact a highly intelligent person trapped inside a useless body. When he was only very little his father left because he could not cope. His grandparents have held down two jobs for years to help pay for his medical expenses. You would think that if anyone had reason to regret their own birth and the way their life had turned out, it would be Bradley Harris Wolf. But no, he chose not to wallow in self-pity and regret. In his book, Trapped By Silence, which took him three painful years to write by holding something in his hand and tapping it out on a keyboard letter by letter, he describes the way he copes daily with his disability. In it he continually expresses thanks to his family, his friends, and to God for what he describes as his blessed life.
No attitude is great unless it projects from a thankful heart. Someone once said, “When God measures a man, he puts the tape around his heart and not his head.” A large heart is often filled with gratitude. An attitude of gratitude is a prerequisite for a victorious life. Simple as it seems though, gratefulness does not easily lend itself to human nature. We must make conscious efforts to imbibe it.
To develop an attitude of gratitude is to recognise that our very lives hang on the thread of God’s grace. And it does not matter where we are in life or what our situations are, there is always something to be grateful for if we care to look for it. If we stay grateful, we will stay positive and enthusiastic.
If we stay positive and enthusiastic, we will cultivate healthy relationships, see and seize opportunities, and win in life. So take out time today to acknowledge who you are and what you have, no matter how seemingly insignificant it is. Then express gratitude to God as the primary Source of it all. Express gratitude to the people around you for the little things they do for you that would otherwise have been taken for granted. You can never go wrong with an attitude of gratitude. Start today. Start now. Say thank you.
Memorise & Meditate:
“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.” Colossians 3:15
Prayer & Confession:
Thank You, Father, for who You are and all You have done for me. Thank You for the gift of life. Thank You for eternal life in Christ Jesus. Help me to stay grateful, Lord, in Jesus’ name.
