“In every situation (no matter what the circumstances) be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus" 1( Thessalonians 5:18).
As a Life Coach, and a woman in ministry, I’ve had many people over the years ask me what I thought God’s will was for their lives. I always point them to 1 Thessalonians 5:18 where it is so clearly defines it: God’s will is for us to continually give thanks. The lyrics to Josh Groban’s song Thankful come to mind:
Some days we forget
To look around us
Somedays we can’t see
The joy that surrounds us
So caught up inside ourselves
We take when we should give.
In daily life we are spending so much time looking down at screens that it’s easy to forget to look up and see the joy or the pain that surrounds us. We each get caught up in our own digital distraction and miss how much there is to be thankful for. A while back I launched the #LOOKUP Campaign at universities and churches around the world, challenging all of us to look up from our screens and to engage in our real life and relationships.
The LOOK UP Challenge
- Look Up and Meet a Need
- Look Up and Engage in Conversation
- Look Up and See God’s Beauty
- Look Up and Enjoy the Moment
- Look Up and Give Thanks
Looking down at screens can keep us focused on ourselves. Anytime our focus is on ourselves—even if it’s on the good things we’re doing—it keeps us from being grateful for what others are contributing. We lose our appreciation for our spouse, children, friends, and co-workers when we constantly view them through our own shadow. Many studies now show that practicing gratitude is the healthiest emotion we can have and offers many benefits. Here are just a few of the many benefits of being grateful.
BENEFITS OF BEING THANKFUL
- Stronger immune systems and lower blood pressure
- Higher levels of positive emotions
- More joy, optimism, and happiness
- Reduced stress
- Responding with more generosity and compassion
- More resilient
- Feeling less lonely and isolated
God in His Word encourages us to be grateful. Ephesians 5:20 says, “Always give thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Psalm 100:4 says, “Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His Name.”
STEPS TO BEING THANKFUL
1. Focus Your Attention Outward.
Your attitude plays a large role in determining whether you can feel grateful in spite of life’s challenges. Being grateful is defined by your attitude towards both the outside world and yourself. Those who are more aware of the positives in their lives tend to focus their attention outside of themselves.
2. Be Mindful of What You Have.
You may assume that those with more material possessions have more to be grateful for. However, research shows otherwise. It’s not how much you have, but how you feel about what you have that makes the difference. (Do you have all that you want or want all that you have?)
3. Keep a Gratitude Journal.
Recording what you feel grateful for in a journal is a great way to give thanks on a regular basis. Those who list five things they feel grateful for, in a weekly gratitude journal, report fewer health problems and greater optimism than those who don’t.
4. Reframe Situations as Positive.
It’s not actually a challenging situation that is upsetting—it’s how you perceive the situation. In other words, it’s not so much about the story that is happening to you, but the story you tell yourself that matters most.
We have so much to be thankful to God for. The list is endless. Today write out five things that you are thankful for. Look up and give Him the sacrifice of thanksgiving, enter His gates with thanksgiving, giving thanks to Him at all times and for all things for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
