An Attitude of Gratitude

I teach this to my students. I teach this to my sons. I teach this to myself, yet I fail to always have an attitude of gratitude. After celebrating two months of joyful holidays with my family, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and birthdays, I'm reminded that I need to be that joyful and grateful every day. And not just thankful for all the good things in my life, but for the bad as well.

Today, I will be thankful for my failures, my sufferings, and my pains. I will be thankful for my weaknesses and shortcomings. I will be thankful for my broken, difficult, and trying relationships. I will be thankful for all my Lord has given me and all He has not. I will be thankful for my life; this mysterious gift of my life and my place in His Kingdom.

Because I struggle with cycles of depression, to always be thankful is a difficult attitude to maintain. There are days when I struggle to find peace or joy in my life, and the result is an attitude of words and actions that are desperate and lifeless. My thoughts become dominated by negative, destructive self-talk. As a Christian, I know I have to take control of my thoughts, and the teachings of Jesus and His Apostles makes this clear.

Saint Paul writes in his letter to the Philippians in Chapter four, verses six and seven to "have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

These words give me hope in the mercy and love of God the Father because of His Son, Jesus. These words give me strength because I know the Spirit is with me, transforming my heart and mind. In response to the love God has shown me, I practice His Word every morning in one small way. It has made a difference in my attitude for the day, regardless of how sad I may be feeling.

Several years ago, I made the decision to say "Thank you, God, for this day," the instant my eyes open in the morning. Even if I feel tired, hopeless, or angry, thanking God every morning for the gift of another day is healing my heart and making a difference in my thinking for the rest of the day. It is better than any medicine doctors could prescibe or scientist could invent. It brings me hope in the midst of despair and inspiration in the midst of discouragement.

Having an attitude of gratitude and thanking God every day for another day on earth is a healing discipline. Now it's automatic; I immediately thank God for my day without even thinking. It has become a heart response, and that heart-felt gratitude has changed my life. It can change your life, too. Let us celebrate every day as a day of thanksgiving.