... it is hard to be both angry and grateful at the same time.
Every Thanksgiving, friends on Facebook take what's called the Thanksgiving Challenge. They spend thirty-one days in November posting on Facebook each day one of their many blessings. I have participated in this, and it really helped change my attitude from one of discontentment to one of gratitude. There's one problem: by day twenty, I've run out of blessings! I find I'm searching for things to be thankful for. Sometimes I repeat blessings or say them in a different way just to meet the challenge, but I know I have more than thirty-one blessings to count.
In my life, I try not to take things for granted, but I do. I have experienced a couple of rock-bottom moments in my life. I refer to them as “dark nights of the soul.” During these moments, I feel God is silent. Since I'm not enjoying intimacy with God, my mood changes and I become sad and angry. But when I change my attitude from one of only being thankful in the month of November, I choose to be thankful every day for the many blessings God has given me. When I'm feeling down, I have learned to count my blessings.
Here are some of the ways I'm able to count my blessings more often:
I Changed My Attitude
Anger and sadness are just two deep emotions that everyone feels in their lifetime. The Bible tells us that anger is not a sin, but only what we do with our anger that matters. When I focus on all the ways God has blessed me, it is hard to be both angry and grateful at the same time. One way I'm trying to improve my emotional health as well as my spiritual growth is to adopt an attitude of gratitude. Whenever I sense myself feeling a negative emotion, I focus on the ways God has blessed me that day. It could be as simple as heating my home, finishing a writing assignment ahead of schedule, or being able to hug my dog. Because I take a moment to re-focus myself, it changes how my day ends. When I change my perspective, I find I get more joy out of life because I'm choosing to focus on the positive, not on the negative. Although I still need to grow in this area, God is glorified when I choose to be thankful instead of bitter or discontent.
I Enjoy the Simple Things
Some of the best moments of our lives don't come after huge accomplishments or after attaining a desired possession. The best moments in life are hidden in the mundane tasks of the day. For example, instead of complaining about the tenth load of laundry I’ve washed and folded, I give thanks for having a washer and dryer that works and clean clothes to put on my body. The best moments in life can be holding a baby, taking a dog for a walk, or blessing someone with a word of encouragement. When I look back at my life, I want to remember all the ways God blessed me, even in the little things in life. By keeping this attitude, I'm able to identify the blessings much more readily (and do the laundry with a little less angst).
I Stopped Taking Things for Granted
As I look around my environment this morning, I have a lot to be thankful for. I have a beautiful home, a good spouse, and children who bring me great joy. As I write this article, I'm sitting next to my dog who makes me laugh every day. While life may not have given me everything I've hoped for, it doesn't take long to spot the blessings God has given me. Even writing this article is already a privilege. There are many third-world countries that would love to be able to turn on a computer and speak words that help promote the gospel of Christ freely.
Get a Journal
A great way to enhance your quality time with the Lord and focus on your blessings is by writing them down. Our brains tend to retain more information when we write something down. Paul understood this when he said to Timothy: “When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments” (2 Timothy 4:13).
I admire Paul's attitude of humility that not only should Timothy bring him the parchments but also the scrolls. Although Paul had an encounter with God, he knew he had more to learn. Not only did he want to learn, but he wanted to write down what he learned to pass it on to others. The more grateful you are each day, the more it will spread to those around you. A humble attitude spreads to those who tend to be arrogant. Additionally, writing down your blessings not only helps you remember them throughout the day, but also when you look back, you can see all the ways God has blessed you throughout the year. This is a great way to start the New Year. As you reflect on all the ways God has blessed the year before, ask the Lord to use you to impact more lives in the coming year.
Pray Often
If you are someone who tends to look on the negative side of things or someone who takes things for granted, it may take a while for your attitude to change. By focusing on blessings and gratitude rather than discontentment, these habits will rewire your brain by creating new neuro-pathways. It will take a bit of consistent prayer and gratitude to change completely, but you will find that one day, you will focus on the positive more than the negative. A great example of this is Daniel. When Daniel was facing trials because of his refusal to bow to King Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel went to his knees and prayed. It was because of his devotion to the Lord that the Lord saved him from the lion’s den.
This November, try counting your blessings every day. Write in your journal one blessing for each day. Even if it's a rough day, try to focus on all the ways you see God at work. You can even count simple things like having shoes on your feet or enough clothing for the week. Even if you only focus on a few simple things in the beginning, God will give you eyes to see life from a different perspective. Before the month is over, you will find your attitude has changed dramatically. You'll go about your day more positively and more willing to demonstrate the gifts of the Spirit to others. Out of the blessings God has given us, we choose to bless others.
Take this challenge one step further and seek to do one kind of thing for someone every day. It can be as simple as opening the door for someone, paying for a customer’s coffee order, or smiling at someone on the street. Just as your attitude will change to one of positivity and gratitude, the kind acts will become part of your nature. Soon, you'll find how easy it is to be kind to every person you meet, even on the roughest days. Make this Thanksgiving one of counting blessings and spreading kindness to everyone who needs it.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/DjelicS
