When we change our attitude for the better, we set ourselves up to be most like Jesus.
I had read a particular passage in Matthew many times before, but I was stunned to learn the context in which it was written. The story of the Last Supper is familiar to all of us. We know that in the last moments before Jesus was to be crucified, he took bread, gave thanks, and gave it to his disciples. Many people read this Scripture portion without understanding its context or meaning. Not only did Jesus choose to spend time eating and drinking with his disciples, but he did this right before he was to die.
Jesus understood what was being asked of him. He knew he'd go to the cross and suffer significantly on behalf of our sins. He could have done anything with the last moments of his life. He could have gone off alone. He could have gone for a walk. He could have continued his ministry. He could have spent all of that time solely praying to his Father. Instead, he chose to carve out precious time to rest, feed his disciples, and look up to the Father, giving thanks for all he had done and was about to do.
It's sobering to think that Jesus chose to give thanks in the moments before he knew he was to be crucified. It is easy for us to be grateful when God is providing. We rejoice when God has given us abundant food, money, or other resources. We shout from the rooftops that God is good and tell everyone about God's goodness. However, when trials come after us, and we suffer from financial hardship, health crises, marriage difficulties, prodigal children, and challenging work situations, it isn't as easy to be grateful for what God is doing. It can feel like God has abandoned us.
This passage of Scripture taught me that gratitude should happen every day.
Here's how gratitude can occur every day if only we let it:
Switch Your Perspective
Jesus' attitude toward his Father was of gratefulness even when he knew he would suffer significant physical and emotional pain while all his disciples would desert him. Yet, he chose that moment before his crucifixion to be thankful. I noticed that when I switch my perspective from despair and discontentment to gratefulness and optimism, it's easier to be grateful.
For example, when my job situation does not provide enough money, even though I've been praying for years for this, I have two choices: I can either be grateful for the money I do have and the fact that we are still in good financial standing or I can choose to be discontent and ungrateful to God because he's not giving me what I want. The former is an attitude of gratitude. The latter is an attitude of distrust and spiritual immaturity.
No matter how ungrateful I am toward God, God's will is his own. He can choose to bless me or not. The choice is his. I cannot manipulate him with my ingratitude, and my ingratitude only makes the situation worse. I can look at the bright side of my situation, thinking about all the ways God has blessed me. Or I can focus on the one thing I don't have and allow it to affect how I view every aspect of my life.
Count Your Blessings
When I need to change my attitude because I have complained too much or am discontent with my life, I count my blessings. I write my blessings in a journal. Some days, the blessings come quickly; other times, they become more complex.
Sometimes, my attitude is so bad it's difficult for me to see anything God blesses me with. When I focus on seeing all that God has done and thank him for even the most minor things, like the shoes on my feet or the clothes on my back, I find I am more blessed than I ever thought possible.
It is essential to keep my attitude fixed on the blessings in my life. Yes, I'm blessed with material things, but I'm blessed most because I know my Savior. God owes me nothing, yet I owe him everything. One thing I owe him is to be grateful for everything he has done in my life.
Enjoy Nature
Because of my demanding work schedule, it is easy for me to neglect the world around me. I get so focused on checking things off my to-do list that I fail to enjoy nature. Fall is my favorite time of the year. Recently, I have learned to take pictures of fallen leaves, collect leaves, do some projects with them, paint pumpkins, and just enjoy the crisp fall air and vibrant colors of the trees. I noticed that when I do this, my attitude is better. I stop focusing solely on all the tasks I must complete throughout the day.
I notice the air, the wind in my hair, and the cool air on my face. I take time to feel the crisp crunch of the leaves or the satiny feel of a newly fallen leaf. Life is not meant to be lived in a cubicle behind a computer screen. It was meant to be enjoyed with God's beauty all around us. At lunchtime, consider taking a walk or spending some time outside.
Even if it's just for half an hour, the fresh air and the chance to rest my eyes from the computer screen is all I need to change my attitude. Watching squirrels carry their food from one place to another or deer scourging for food on the side of the road reminds me that I am a small part of a vast picture. It reminds me that this is not my final stop. This is just a stop on the way to heaven.
One day I will enjoy with ease all the goodness God created. But I must carve time out of my busy schedule for this. When I make time for God's handiwork, my attitude changes significantly.
Spend Time with Loved Ones
Although making family time with two adult children is more complex, I spend the weekends with those I love.
Sometimes, parents miss their children's significant life milestones because of overpacked work schedules. I was fortunate enough that I could watch the kids when my husband was at work, and when I went to work, my husband watched the kids. I never missed a significant moment with them. Looking back at my life, even though those early years were difficult, I'm grateful I had the time to watch them grow. I got to spend time doing fun activities, watching them in their school plays, and being a part of every school program.
At the end of life, it will not matter how big my bank account was or how fancy my possessions were. What will matter is the time I spent time with my loved ones, how much I loved them, and how much they loved me.
Gratitude is not easy to adopt every day. However, by changing perspective and carving out time to enjoy the things that matter, one's attitude can change from discontentment and despair to gratitude. When we change our attitude for the better, we set ourselves up to be most like Jesus.
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