I was listening today to a training seminar in which the speaker expressed the importance and value of thanksgiving, gratitude and appreciation. The comment was made there is really no separation between these words. They are very much intertwined together at the place where the rubber meets the road. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Be joyful always; {17} pray continually; {18} give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Joy is not based upon circumstances. It comes from deep within us. It has a deep connection to what is going on at the very core of our inner being and springs from an assurance and knowingness that there is One who is in control and has the resources to help us deal with whatever comes our way. Joy also comes from the realization God has provided resources within us we can, with the Holy Spirit’s help, tap into through the means of prayer.
Praying continually is an attitude of reverence and connection to the One who created us and who restored our connection through the personal sacrifice of His life on the Cross of Calvary. As we understand the power and authority we have through our relationship with Jesus Christ in all circumstances we have a choice. We can wallow in a sense of self-pity or we can by faith declare in confidence, thanks, gratitude and appreciation in all circumstances. We do not have to be grateful for the situation, though sometimes what appears to be negative is actually a positive. We are called to give thanks in all circumstances.
Now the question becomes, what are we focussing on? Eckhart Tolle says, “it is through gratitude for the present moment that the spiritual dimension of life opens up.” What you put your attention on expands in your life. You reap what you sow.
Make a conscious decision to move your life towards a goal that opens the door for greater thanksgiving, gratitude and appreciation. Living life to your full potential in found along such a path. Take action steps each day to increase your gratitude, thanksgiving and appreciation and watch the difference it makes in your life.