DAY 9 – DEEPEN MY GRATITUDE
By: Jorge Hernandez
[/nectar_highlighted_text][text-with-icon icon_type=”font_icon” icon=”icon-book” color=”Accent-Color”]SCRIPTURE:
1 THESSALONIANS: 5:18 ESV
18 “…give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”[/text-with-icon][text-with-icon icon_type=”font_icon” icon=”icon-user” color=”Accent-Color”]DEVOTIONAL:
Imagine waking up and finding out you had no body movement and later finding out you lost both your legs above the kneecap. It’s truly unimaginable. But, that was my reality 11-years ago due to a car explosion. I still remember those days–shortly after my accident–I would often wake up with bitterness, negative thoughts, and a sense of hopelessness. This was my experience until the day I met Jesus and He changed my life. He turned my mess into my message and replaced my misery with joy. Despite my life-changing circumstance, I became aware of God’s mercy and grace over my life, the staggering realities of Heaven and Hell, and how God in His goodness not only allowed me to live, but saved me through putting my faith in His Son.
This sparked in me an attitude of gratitude. I found out that in order to cultivate this way of thinking, one must form a habit of being thankful and expressing appreciation for every aspect of life–both big and small and even in the good and bad. Paul reminds us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 that God’s will for us in Christ is to maintain this attitude of gratitude. Let’s begin to create an awareness mindset of giving thanks to God in every circumstance and in doing so go deeper in our gratitude.
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→ Examine your current attitude and ask yourself if you are walking with an attitude of gratitude.
→ Thank the Lord for 5 things that have happened in your life that were out of your control.
→ Find one person today that has had a positive impact on your life and personally thank them for it.
→ Listen to the song: “Gratitude” by Brandon Lake.[/text-with-icon][text-with-icon icon_type=”font_icon” icon=”fa fa-hand-paper-o” color=”Accent-Color”]PRAYER: Father, in Jesus name, thank you for saving me and adopting me into Your family. Thank you, Father, for choosing me before the foundation of the world and loving me with everlasting love. Father, thank you for fully forgiving me and giving me a lively and eternal hope found in Your Son Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for all that You have done and will continue to do in Christ Jesus name, amen.[/text-with-icon]
