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Posts Tagged ‘fruit of the Spirit’

Gratitude – Part 3

Posted in Christian life, gratitude, tagged , , , , , on June 24, 2008| Leave a Comment »

 

How can we be more grateful? Just about every believer in Jesus Christ has a problem with gratitude (it’s called our fallen, sinful nature – we’re bent that way), but is there a way to get better at gratitude? I think we can and there is. Here are some suggestions for increasing our gratitude:

  1. Acknowledge that everything we have comes from God. Psalm 24:1 says, The earth is the LORD’s and the fulness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein. The apostle Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 6:7, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 1 Corinthians 4:7, also written by Paul, says, What do you have that you did not receive (from God)? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?
  2. Visit and minister to those who have less. Short-term mission trips are an excellent way to accomplish this up close and personal. Of all the people I know who have went on these trips, none of them has come back unchanged. They’ve all been struck by how much they have compared to people in other parts of the world. They’ve also realized the world is a whole lot bigger than themselves. As a result, they’re more grateful.
  3. Avoid grumbling like the plague. It’s deadly – believe me, I know. Do all things without grumbling or complaining, says Philippians 2:14. We’re exhorted in 1 Corinthians 10:10 not to grumble.
  4. Express thanks frequently to God. Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will fo God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thessalonians 5:18). The Lord has blessed us tremendously, so we should never run short of items for thanksgiving. Thank Him for the foods you enjoy, the friends you have, and the abilities you have. Be grateful for the fact that if you have one copy of the Bible, you have one more than one-third of the people in the world.
  5. Live a joyful life. Joy is one of the fruit of the Spirit in Glaatians 5:22-23. Christians are to be characterized by joy which comes from gratitude and helps develop it, as well.

You and I can increase our gratitude, but only through the power of God the Holy Spirit.

Gratitude pleases God, glorifies Him, and draws the lost to Christ. So don’t be an ingrate! (That’s directed at me more than anyone else.)

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