GRATITUDE
Gratitude
is the act of been thankful, been grateful for what has been done to a person.
Gratitude
is one of the great tools we have as a human to pull down the heart of God to
do more for us just as it is with man when he does something for you and you
appreciated it, it provokes him to do more; even so it is with God when you’re
been thankful for what he has done for you it opens more doors for him to do
more.
Been
grateful for the little that has been done for you is a sign that you are
contented servant; and more will be given but when you are not even thankful
over the little that has been done for you, that singular act closes million
door that would have open by just that simple of act of gratitude.
King David having known the power of thanksgiving, poured out his heart of gratitude in Psalm 103:1-22. A Psalm of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.
17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;
18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
19 The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.
20 Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
21 Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
22 Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.
WHAT TO
BE GRATEFUL FOR:
Question
many will ask: is there reason to be grateful for this year? “Absolutely Yes”
King David spelt out so many reasons to be thankful and be grateful for in
Psalm 103:1-22.
Although
if you are living in a country like my own (Nigeria) you may say there’s no
reason to be grateful, thinking of the level of economic meltdown, no money,
hardship, inflation but i tell you there are million reasons to be grateful.
Grateful
for the gift of life: you may say it’s normal to sleep and wake up the
next morning but let me tell you there are thousands of people who sleep just
as you slept but from sleep to mortuary. “To sleep is a norm but to wake up is
a mystery”, if only God should open your eyes to see the battles, he has won
for you to be alive, you’ll have every reason to thank God.
Have
you consider traveling on the road to work and going about your daily
activities without an accident and yet others had an accident on that same road
and lost their lives in the process?
Good health: I am most grateful to God over my life because I knew where I am coming from, there comes a time in my life when I was in and out the hospital because of just one sickness (pneumonia) and now I usually scratch my head to see if I even take paracetamol. if you don’t know how to give thanks or if you think you don’t have any reason to be thankful, I want you pay a visit to the hospital to emergency ward and see what people like you are passing through, even people that are wealthier than you, beautiful or handsome than you, people that are holier than you. In the hospital are people that are on life – support system, people that are gassing for breath, people that have given up on life because of the kind of pain they’re in.
Have you even thought of how many times you were down with malaria and took just the anti – malaria and you regain your health?
Did you know that, that same malaria kills others?
Have you thought of how many times you were down with headache and recover even without taken anything and yet other never recover from it?
Just as a song writer writes “count your many blessings money cannot buy, and it will surprise you what the lord has done”
Food
on your table: Thank God for the food on your table. If you come
from a humble background where to eat a 3 square meal is a big, especially if a
family where you eat rice once in blue moon, only on a special occasion and
chicken and God helped you, I think you will have every reason to be grateful. I
saw a picture of a boy who was mal-nourished and I looked at myself, I say of a
truth God is faithful and indeed I have every reason to be grateful to God for
his supplies.
2017
was one a year I will never forget in my life. I was on my way to work when I
saw a man by a waste – bin taken foods that was trashed by someone and was
eating, then I looked at myself and asked what did I do to deserve where I am
even though I’ve not arrived my destination that God has ordained for me yet.
Many have food yet can’t eat, others don’t have don’t have food but you have
food and you can eat, you’re obliged to give thanks to God.
WHAT
DOES GRATITIUDE DO FOR YOU?
1.
He doesn’t lack anything: A man of gratitude command
open doors
2.
It makes a way for total restoration: Luke 17:11-19
3.
It opens more doors of opportunities
4.
Gratitude makes impossibility become possible.
EFFECTS
OF INGRATITUDE
1.
An ungrateful heart blocks and shuts door against
many other blessings coming your way
2.
Ingratitude can lead partial wholesomeness Luke
17:17-19
3.
Ingratitude limits one’s chances in life opportunities.
CONCLUSION:
A heart that knows how to show gratitude is the heart that has key to unlock the treasuries of the heaven.
“Show me a man with a heart of gratitude and I will show you a man knows the mind of God” – Sunnypraiz.
Showing God that you are grateful over the tiny thing you can ever think of moves him to do the impossible. If you can call your husband names that he was not ordinarily because of what you want from him you’re expected to do even more to God for him to do more for you.
“Been grateful doesn’t mean that you don’t have challenges but it show that circumstances does not determine your fate”
but always been
thankful over that thing you think God has done for you and you will see how God
will always surpasses your expectations.
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