Be Thankful Everyday

Before I did anything, I decided to reach for my journal and jot down ten (10) things I was grateful for as soon as I woke up.

I penned “I’m grateful for life and God’s protection over us while we slept. I’m grateful for a home and a bed to sleep in. I’m thankful for the ability to see, walk, talk, move every part of my body, ability to think and use my brain, ability to create and dance.” My list of thanksgiving grew longer as time went on. Before I knew it I was done. That was it. I was able to find at least ten (10) things I could be grateful for.

Just you being alive is something to be grateful for each and every day regardless of a special time to give thanks. It is the will of God to give thanks in everything (Thessalonians 5:18). When we look all around us and even in our situations I can guarantee you it can be daunting and very discouraging at times. We also sometimes allow these imperfect situations to set us off the right track by pondering on them. This only makes our situation look really worse off than it truly is. In this instance, we may not realize it but we are giving the devil the glory when we sink into those gloomy thoughts and then follow through with them with negative reactions.

We are to be so very mindful about what we allow ourselves to think about because these thoughts have the ability to control our actions if we aren’t sharp enough to “check” ourselves. We are reminded to think on things that are; honest, just, pure, lovely and that are of a good report (Philippians 4:8), because the devil wants to take control of our mind. He understands the power of one’s mind and seeks desperately to control it. Remember whatsoever a man thinks in his heart, so is he. I want to encourage you to take hold of your mind and what you think about because if not the devil will hold it captive. He will keep you in a cycle of defeat and negative thinking and this will keep you bound. Decide to intentionally and daily set some time aside to ponder on the Goodness of God in and around your life and that of your family, friends, job and anything attached to you.

One of the way I take hold of my thought life is by journaling. A few years ago I deliberately decided to get a “Grateful Journal” and then challenged myself to write down at least twenty (20) things I was grateful for. At first it seemed challenging because it wasn’t my norm, but as I became more comfortable with it, I realized that I had a lot I should be grateful for and I wasn’t . It made me realize how ungrateful I was, always asking God for so many things but not realizing the blessings He bestowed on me daily. As I continued this challenge daily, my heart grew more thankful towards God because the exercise helped me see the little miracles He performed which I needed but would have gone overlooked had I not stop and reflect. My attitude towards life; where I am currently, my job, family, ministry, friends etc… changed positively as I became more thankful to have them. This challenge also led me to pray for family members and friends as I thanked God for them. The more I did what 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, the better of an individual along this thankful journey I became. I saw it begin to transform my thought life. Once your thoughts are positively transformed you begin to believe that everything is possible with God.

How I Journal:

My journal techniques are pretty simple. I grab a small or large notebook, design it if necessary, label it for the purpose I want to use it for and then begin to write as the Lord leads. Since we are on the topic of “Thankfulness”, I currently use a small notebook to jot down my grateful praises to God. I choose to have this done in the morning because I realized that thinking positively as soon as I awake, really sets the tone for an awesome day. You have the ultimate decision to decide how you want your day to be, so why not start it with Jesus, thanking Him for all the wonderful things He has done, is doing and will continue to do! I recently completed this challenge, “Ten Things I am Grateful for”. As soon as the Lord woke me, I grabbed my Journal and began to write. I invited Him into this session and He being so loving, brought thoughts to mind of things I should be grateful for. In essence He was my Great Helper while doing this challenge. The more that I do this the easier it will become to just be thankful in everything just as it’s His will for my life.

Thanksgiving Challenge Invitation

I know life can be “LIFE” but I want to invite you on this Journey with me of THANKFULNESS. Choose a journal of your choice, make it cute, make it you and make it so motivating that it makes you want to reach for it first, to give our Father all the Glory before we entertain our cell phone, work duties and anything else. Trust me, it will transform your life as you practise the art of being thankful in everything. When you are faced with a negative situation and begin to think about complaining, you will quickly remember to think on the blessings. It really helps to transform your mind and thus instead of stealing your joy, which is the devil’s goal, it makes you rejoice and be glad even in the uncomfortable situations.

Let’s Journal together about all the wonderful acts of God. Let’s Rejoice, Pray and be Thankful in everything. Why? This is the will of God for us and as a result He will bless us tremendously. When we walk in His will and refuse to follow after our flesh He blesses and favours us.

Happy Thankful Journaling.