When Thanksgiving Cascades The Heart
December and the first part of 2024 has really been a time of thanksgiving on Streams of Beauty!
This is a time of building the muscle of constantly saying ‘Thank You’ to the Lord and changing the way situations and circumstances are viewed. Choosing to be grateful can cause you to view life, and life’s circumstances, in a very different way. Over time, you’ll find that you’re able to find a reason to be thankful, even for the things that seem small or inconvenient.
Taking the time to thank God for the things He is doing can really shape and mould your mind and heart. As time goes on, you’ll begin to find more and more reasons to smile about the things God is orchestrating in your life.
Romans 8:28 says, And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Therefore, we can humbly come before the Father and ask Him to build an attitude of thanksgiving in our hearts, knowing and believing that He works all things for good.
Below are some practical ways to build this muscle of thanksgiving.
Listening to Christian podcasts (or watching the YouTube versions)
Taking the time to listen to Christian platforms that have sound teaching really does help to bring a change in perspective. The magnification of the negative gradually becomes a thing of the past as you begin to focus on the good. Trials of life become opportunities to marvel at the goodness of God, at His kindness and His grace as He carries you through the times and seasons that seem impossible to get through. Podcasts are a great way to hear other people’s stories and life experiences as well as listen to great advice from people who have learnt how to see God’s hand in everything.
Take the time to stop
Actually pausing and having a moment to evaluate your thoughts can be very helpful. It allows you to sift through the events of the day and seek out things that you can say ‘thank you’ for. Some people like to write things down, others like to say them out loud. A great way to stop and marvel is to also play instrumental music in the background (DappyTKeys is amazing) and just think about everything great.
Journal & Take Pictures
Documenting the good times is always useful because it means you can look back at moments that you might have otherwise forgotten. It can be so much fun to watch as the list of things you’re grateful for continues to grow larger and larger. Another useful tip is creating a thankfulness jar, where you write down things that have happened during the year that caused you to smile, then you return to it every so often to marvel at all the good things God has done for you within the year.
Journalling also allows you to get things out of your mind and onto paper. Writing it down and reading it back can be a great way to ensure that you are thinking logically. It can also help you to figure out what it is that you need to pray about more specifically.
Share your joys
Tell others about the goodness of God! Ultimately, we are here to bring glory to the Lord. Our lives, as Christians who are surrendered to Christ, should continue to be a reflection of His goodness. Sharing what He has done can be a great way to let others know about the great, loving, merciful and kind God that we serve.
