Make a Habit of Expressing Gratitude
“He who sacrifices thank offerings honours me, and he
prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God.” (Psalm
50:23 NIV84)
We live in a world where gratitude is a rare commodity. Most
people spend their time asserting their rights or demanding more and more for
doing less and less.
Our focus should be different. We should work to be an
effective instrument of God. Our focus should be on making an impact for the
advancement of the kingdom of God, not on asserting personal rights and
ambitions.
This passage from Psalm 50 tells us we honour God when we
express gratefulness. Not only does a grateful heart honour God, but it
prepares the way for God to move in the life of the believer. When we express
gratitude to God, we are also expressing faith in him and in his provision for
us. This causes God, subject to his sovereign will, to prepare the way for his
saving actions in our everyday life.
To express gratitude properly, our attitude must be right
toward God, other people, ourselves, possessions, and the world. Expressing
gratitude constructively means that we continually adjust our attitude in an
affirmative way – one that is pleasing to God and others.
Today, ask yourself:
Am I a grateful person? Do I continually express my
gratitude to both God and other people?
Make it your goal to develop a pattern of expressing
gratitude. It takes about six weeks to form a habit. Every day for the next six
weeks, intentionally express your gratitude in a tangible way to both God and
to another person.