Gratitude

When I saw this picture on Facebook this morning, it really resonated this me since gratitude has been a frequent topic of discussion this Lenten season. It is one of the main topics in the Spiritual Gifts class that I am taking at my church. Gratitude is something that can easily get lost in the business of everyday life, yet it is something that is key to living a life filled with joy, peace, and contentment. When we wake with gratitude, we set the tone for a positive day. Even if we have gratitude for small things, like the beautiful flowers in a garden, or the sound of the waves of the ocean, we are still showing the Lord that we are thankful for what He has given us, as everything comes from Him.


One of the things that is part of my Spiritual Gifts class, is keeping a gratitude journal, and writing in it daily. Another member of the class had made the suggestion of in addition to writing what you are grateful for, but to write what you are not so grateful, and you can see the progression of changes over time. This was something that was part of another class that she had taken. For the past week and a half as I have been writing in my gratitude journal, it hasn't been to much off a challenge to think of what I am grateful for, but has been a bit of a challenge to think of what I am not so grateful for. One would think that it would be the other way around, with all the stuff that I have been dealing with. But even though I have had a lot of challenges, and have and am going through stuff that I wouldn't wish on anyone, there is still so much I have to be grateful for. A loving family, supportive friends, a wonderful and caring medical team, a safe loving home, clothes on my back, nourishing food, shoes on my feet, and a loving heavenly father who is always with me, and will never leave me, nor forsake me.


Ephesians 5:20 says, "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;..." I love this verse because it reminds me to always give thanks to the Lord for everything. The Lord has blessed me with so much, and I remind myself to be grateful and thank Him everyday for all that He has given me. I am even grateful to God for all of the difficulties that I have had, because they have made me the person that I am, have strengthened my relationship with the Lord, and have even introduced people and experiences that have been blessings. We can have gratitude no matter what the circumstances. I encourage everyone to start the day with gratitude, and to continuously find gratitude no matter the circumstances. We all have so much to be grateful for.




Joyful Love
          &
Blessings In The Lord
Alexandra K. Acosta