Attitude OF Gratitude by Pastor Mike
He threw himself to the ground at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. The man was a Samaritan. Jesus spoke up, “There were ten who were healed; where are the other nine? Why is this foreigner the only one who came back to give thanks to God?” And Jesus said to him, “Get up and go; your faith has made you well.”
Luke 17:16-19 GNTD.
The above Bible story is a great example of gratitude. Interestingly, it was only the Samaritan, a foreigner that came back to appreciate the Lord for what he did for him.
The rest of them took it for granted. Never thought it necessary to show gratitude to the Lord.
Maybe they have become over-familiar with the Lord Jesus. Probably they are feeling entitled.
Well, whatever the case might be, Jesus made it clear He expected them to come and thank Him for healing them.
Now, we have a lot to learn from this. It’s the will of God that we always give him thanks for what he has done for us:
And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:20 NLT.
So, let’s not take for granted the goodness of the Lord in our life. The Lord God has done so much for us and deserves all the praise from us. Nothing should ever deter us from thanking Him. As a matter of truth, judging by the benevolence of the Lord towards us, our mouth should be giving Him praise continually:
Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
Hebrews 13:15 NKJV.
There are countless reasons and benefits to be grateful and live a life of gratitude. Listed below are some of them:
1. Appreciating others for their kind gestures affirms them. And encourages them to continue making needed sacrifices in uplifting the lives of others
2. It helps the beneficiaries because their hearts are healed of self-centeredness as they realize what they gained from the contributions of others in their lives
3. It helps them to desire to be like the benefactor, as they are inspired to extend blessings and kindness to others
4. It shows they understand the value of the gift or acts of kindness they receive
5. Both the life of the giver and the receiver appreciate. Meaning values are infused into both lives. Depreciation means low value. Hence, appreciation means enhanced values.
6. Gratitude softens our hearts and draws us closer to each other. An unthankful heart makes us just complain and drains the life of everyone. It creates an unnecessary negative atmosphere that pushes people further away from others.
For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.
Proverbs 15:15 NLT.
7. Certainly, there are great benefits to being thankful. It even helps our health and acts as medicine for our bodies. By implication, if we fail to be thankful, our health may deteriorate. There are a lot of sicknesses that can result from worrying, unhappiness, and being ungrateful:
A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
Proverbs 17:22 AMPC.
8. It helps us to see the good in everyone. We also hold on to God’s goodness in every situation, as we learn to thank Him in every circumstance, seemingly good or bad:
Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT.
9. Being grateful is the antidote for worry, and it makes our heart to be at peace. Once we learn to be grateful, it helps us trust and appreciate God. Resulting in us being at peace with life and everybody:
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7 NLT.
So how about you? Do you struggle with an unthankful or ungrateful heart? Do you want to be healed by His grace? Jesus Christ came to usher a clean heart and gracious spirit!!!
The goodness of the Lord should humble and make us grateful. We should continually remain thankful and dedicated to serving the Lord. There is no room to feel entitled. For we don’t deserve all that the Lord has done for us. So, we shouldn’t hesitate to return all the praise, glory, and honor to the Lord.
With this understanding, we should approach the Lord in prayers and repent if we have not been living a life of gratitude and service unto him:
Dear Lord, thank you for all you have done for me. I repent of my ingratitude. Please forgive me for not appreciating you for all the great things you have accomplished for me. Help me realize the magnitude of your benevolence in my life. And cause me to learn to appreciate your goodness and the people you bring into my life.
May my life always bring praise and glory to you. And my heart filled with gratitude, my mouth continually offering you the sacrifice of praise. Rejoicing and enjoying all the provisions you have made for me.
Thank you, Lord, for hearing me in Jesus’ name. Amen
Pst. Mike.