Gratitude Increases Your Trust in God
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
Surely He will save you from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with His feathers,
and under His wings you will find refuge;
His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
Psalm 91:1-5 (NIV)
The average American sleeps 6.8 hours a night. Some sleep more, and some less. I tend to have a love-hate relationship with sleep. Some people can hit the pillow and fall asleep. My wife is like that. For me, my mind struggles to shut off. Here’s what’s helped me tremendously with sleep-gratitude. I’ve learned, and am learning, that worry and anxiety are future-oriented. They operate with constant what-if questions. What if things don’t get better? What if the conversation doesn’t go well? What if something terrible happens to my kids? You name it, and I’ve probably thought it. I tend to be a master at the what-if questions.
So, what’s the solution? It’s gratitude. Gratitude tethers us to God in the present by saying Thank You. I’ve found that even little things like thanking God for food, friends who support me, a home, clothes and His presence have radically shifted my heart. I’m convinced that tremendous gratitude will create greater peace. Remember what David said when he was facing Goliath? "The LORD who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!" (1 Samuel 17:27 NLT) His mind could have gone to a thousand different what-if scenarios, yet he conquered Goliath with gratitude.
If you want to take down the goliaths in your life of worry, stress and anxiety, then gratitude is the way forward. Think about it. Currently, we have the highest anxiety rates we’ve ever had in the US, and yet it seems gratitude is lower than ever before! The way forward is gratitude because gratitude is the way of the Kingdom!
Application: Practicing gratitude today will fill our minds with peace and hope.
Prayer: Spend time thinking about who and what you have in Jesus. Thank God for His blessings in your life, no matter how hard the season is. Thank God for the Spirit, and ask Him to make you more aware of His presence!
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?