"So we'll give thanks to You, with Gratitude, For lessons learned in how to trust in You, And we are blessed beyond what we could ever need, in abundance or in need."
~ Gratitude, Nichole Nordeman
As Christians, I believe gratitude is one of our greatest weapons. It encourages us in our daily lives to look to God with a thankful heart. It also is a powerful weapon that helps fight unbelief, despair, fear, worry, and stress. Gratitude has the power to take us out of a self - pitying mindset or attitude and cause us to remember all of the times that God has been faithful - both in our lives and through His word. Taking time to write down what God has done in your life is a great way to tuck away little tidbits of encouragement for the days when you feel defeated.
I was reminded of the power of gratitude recently, as I have been going back and reading through my extensive journals from 2 years ago. I love to write out my prayer requests to God, and this time period of my life was one of intense seeking and relying on His strength. This season was definitely reflected in those prayers. It amazes me how so many times my prayers would start out sounding defeated, but by the end they would be filled with thanksgiving and awe of God's faithfulness. My Father would speak to me during these precious times and then it would completely change my perspective regarding the situation, and I would come away changed.
I think that is one of the most powerful things about spending quality time with God is that it transforms our mindset from that of the world to a heavenly mindset. When we spend time with God, it causes us to set aside our worries and cares, give them to Jesus, and realize that we are safe in the arms of Christ. Our determination to try and change a situation through mentally figuring it or worrying about it is failing to trust in our Father. He is so good!
Would you lay aside your cares today? Try this: sit down with a pen and paper, and prayerfully start to write down what has been weighing you down or causing you to worry. Ask God to show you what He says about the situation, and give those cares to Him. As you give the burdens to God, your perspective will shift and you will see the situation with new eyes. Write down what God shows you and thank Him for fresh vision and His presence in your life.
More great reasons to journal: 8 Benefits of Writing in a Diary or Journal
2 comments:
Love this! So true. You sound like David and his Psalms with your journals. Thanks for the reminder, I need to make time to journal more. Writing it out makes such a difference!
Wow, thank you!
I absolutely love My Utmost for His Highest,
so I think his writing style/language has definitely
influenced me to have that similar style, which is also
kind of like the Psalms at times. I agree - I can talk about something for hours on end, but there's nothing quite like getting it all out on paper. :)
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