WALK IN THE ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

“Enter into His gates with THANKSGIVING, and into His courts with praise. BE THANKFUL to Him, and bless His name” – Psalm 100:4

To walk in God’s Way is to WALK in the ATTITUDE of GRATITUDE: “Enter into His gates with THANKSGIVING, and into His courts with PRAISE. BE THANKFUL to Him, and bless His name” (Psa. 100: 4-5). It’s apt to round off this month’s meditations into God’s Ways on a thankful note! Gratitude is the Key to the Gates into God’s Courts of Praise. The Attitude of Gratitude is more active than passive. Thanksgiving is visible; rarely hidden! Gratitude originates from the heart, but manifests openly! God desires that His children WALK in the Way of GRATITUDE: “Give thanks in ALL CIRCUMSTANCES; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 The. 5:18); “Therefore by Him let us CONTINUALLY offer the sacrifice of PRAISE to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, GIVING THANKS to His name” (Heb.13:15).

We cannot afford to walk in erratic thanksgiving or seasonal gratitude: “Be anxious for nothing; but IN EVERYTHING by prayer and supplication with THANKSGIVING, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil.4: 6-7). Our Attitude of Gratitude must be perpetual: “GIVING THANKS ALWAYS FOR ALL THINGS to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 5:20). Our Thanksgiving must be ALWAYS and FOR ALL THINGS – pleasant or otherwise! So, Why Gratitude?

A Grateful Heart is the key that unlocks God’s Gates of Blessings. Gratitude and Thanksgiving show that we appreciate God’s place in our lives; that without Him we can do nothing (Jh.15:5). Gratitude provides a platform to glorify the Lord: “Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; and to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God” (Psa.50:23). Thanksgiving is the key to supernatural triumph. Every child of God carries a great destiny that attracts combat from the enemy. Gratitude passes our battles to God, so we wouldn’t need to struggle to win (2 Chr. 20:22-24). Also, multiplication answers to gratitude and thanksgiving. Miracles manifest and blessings multiply at the instance of thanksgiving (Jh. 6:11-13).

Gratitude grants us access into God’s Presence, for flourishing and fruitfulness: “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Your name…Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing” (Psa. 92:1, 13-14). Those who unfailingly give God thanks will never lose value. We show gratitude to God by songs, praises, worship, thanksgiving, testimonies, and giving of substance to honour Him (Psa.26:7, 69:30, 106:1; Lk.17:15-17). Every worthy spiritual exercise is sustained by Gratitude: “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Col.3:17).

When things look especially dismal, we often need help to turn our frown upside down into a smile. Doing this can take a variety of forms – a simple compliment or word of encouragement that boosts our mood, a real (or virtual) hug, or meditating on inspiring verses or quotes about gratitude that help us reflect on God’s blessings. It helps to remember that God loves us, walks with us, hears our prayers, and saved us by Grace! The more we meditate on His Words about being thankful, the more we develop the Attitude of Gratitude! Moreover, every of our utterance and action should spur this same attitude in others: “While you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God” (2Cor.9:11).

God gives us the Victory in Christ; we must give Him ceaseless Thanks: “But THANKS be to God, who GIVES us the VICTORY through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor.15:57). God leads us in perpetual Triumph; our Gratitude must be always and in every place: “Now thanks be to God who ALWAYS leads us in TRIUMPH in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in EVERY PLACE (2Cor.2:14).