A Thankful Attitude

Today is American Thanksgiving and I want to wish all my friends in the States a very Happy Thanksgiving, I hope you are having or have had a wonderful day.

Today's reading in Jesus Calling: A 365 Day Journaling Devotional by Sarah Young had a thankful attitude as it's theme -

'A thankful attitude opens windows of heaven. Spiritual blessings fall freely onto you through those openings into eternity. Moreoever, as you look up with a grateful heart, you get glimpses of glory through those windows. You cannot yet live in heaven, but you can experience foretastes of your ultimate home. Such samples of heavenly fare revive your hope. Thankfulness opens you up to these experiences, which then provide further reasons to be grateful. Thus, your path becomes an upwards spiral: ever increasing in gladness.

Thankfulness is not some sort of magic formula; it is the language of Love, which enables you to communicate intimately with Me. A thankful mind-set does not entail a denial of reality with its plethora of problems. Instead, it rejoices in Me, your Savior, in the midst of trials and tribulations. I am your refuge and strength, an ever-present and well-proved help in trouble.'

The first paragraph says that two of the by-products of a thankful attitude are hope and gladness. I like that.

The second paragraph says that 'a thankful mindset does not entail a denial of reality'. When I have a thankful attitude I am making a conscious choice to be grateful even through trials and tribulations. My focus is not on the struggles of this life but it is on God, who is greater than all my problems and ever present with me, whatever I may be going through.

My cousin Deanna posted this on Facebook today and I am going to re-post it here -

'It is not happy people who are thankful;
It is thankful people who are happy.'

Thanks Deanna :) -

 Take care, everyone. Keep looking up.
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