Gratitude
What if you could actually be “thankful” this Thanksgiving?
I know, it sounds like a cliché question.
But, think about it for a minute. What's the alternative? Reject gratitude and let another holiday season pass anxious and unsatisfied? That certainly isn’t how any of us want to move through the holidays.
Instead, I believe God wants us to experience the love and peace he has prepared for us. To fully experience it, however, we need to embrace a timeless spiritual practice: Gratitude.
Paul spoke clearly about the power of gratitude in Philippians 4:6-7:
"Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
He is telling us that prayer and gratitude have the power to replace anxiety and worry.
No matter how much is on our to-do list.
No matter how tricky our family gatherings can be.
We can experience the love and peace of God. We simply have to slow down, invite God in, and begin practicing gratitude in our every day lives so that we can be present to God’s blessings in real time.
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Leading up to Thanksgiving, try this simple practice once a day:
1. Take two deep breaths
2. Think about one thing you are grateful for, in the moment, and picture it in your mind.
3. Offer it to God with a short prayer: “God, thank you for your blessings in my life. Today, I’m especially grateful for _________.”
4. Write it down in a journal or note on your phone.
5. Thanksgiving morning, review the short list (in your journal or note) of things you are grateful for. Take five minutes to reflect on them and thank God for the blessings in your life.
Embrace this practice today.
I believe that as you prioritize gratitude leading up to the holidays, you will experience the love, joy, and peace of God more than ever before in your heart and family gatherings.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Tim and the Seek Well team
