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Early one weekend morning, I was sitting outside on my porch and reading a story in the Bible. It was from Acts 16, where Paul and Silas were put in jail. They were locked up, their feet tied, and they were confined in a cell. Paul and Silas’ circumstances were bleak and their future seemed hopeless. However, boldly and confidently, they continued to focus on trusting and praising God.
Verse 25 says, “Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was an earthquake so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken. Suddenly, all the prison doors opened and everyone’s chains came loose.
For a moment, things looked grim for Paul and Silas. Yet quickly, the next instant, God moved and the chains that held Paul and Silas were broken and the prison walls collapsed. The power of God changed the situation.
Do you need a miracle? Maybe you are at the end of your hopes. Perhaps you are confined to the shackles of the past. Or, exhausted, you might be bound in the chains of doubt and think, “There is no point in counting my blessings or praising God.
But if you “rejoice always†(1 Thessalonians 5:16) as you lift up your voice in praise and thanksgiving, God will hear you and help you. And soon, like Paul and Silas, you will experience a tremendous breakthrough and be on your way to victory.
So, breathe out worries and worries and inspire love and gratitude by reminding yourself that God is greater than any problem you might face. God has guided you this far and He will continue to guide you. So adopt an attitude of gratitude even when life is meaningless and continue to be grateful for all your gracious gifts. Let the little troubles go away. By brooding over small frustrations, they can turn into big frustrations and, therefore, discourage you. Similar to a familiar phone number that you call often, if you keep repeating other people’s mistakes or thinking about how unfair situations have been, then discouragement, like that phone number, will soon become second nature. Turn your fears into positive thoughts. And choose not to live bitter, negative, or dissatisfied. No matter what is going on around you, there is always a reason to be grateful. Therefore, continue to praise God. For praise is a powerful force against discouragement. Thanking and praising can ease your nerves and open your heart to new possibilities and hopeful expectations. Gratitude can instantly change your attitude towards yourself and your future.
You might not be where you want to be right now. However, you can be thankful that by persisting you are getting closer to success every day.
You may have been wronged. Now, let it go and move on to the abundant life that God wants you to live. Trust that God will act favorably on your behalf.
Or maybe you have had failures or made mistakes in the past. But it’s a new day, so be thankful that you can dream new dreams, set new goals, and strive for them. God can give you a second chance.
Start each morning by making a mental or written list of three or four things for which you are grateful. Then, several times throughout the day, close your eyes for a few minutes of silent gratitude, revisiting this “thank you list.” For God has promised that when you remember the blessings He has sent you daily, your strength will be renewed like the eagle.
Then say to yourself over and over, “I am strong,†“I am worthy,†“I am gifted,†“God has a plan for me†and “The future is bright. “
Believe that things will be better, and they will be better.
Think success, and you will be successful.
Speak as if you are blessed, and you will be blessed.
Some time ago, I received an email from a man who wrote about the importance of praising God and giving thanks. He wrote: “When I heard people talk about the great importance of being grateful all the time, and under all circumstances, I was very skeptical. But I kept noticing that the happiest people were constantly expressing gratitude and appreciation for the people and things in their lives. So I took a chance and tried.
The letter continued, “I just made the decision to be thankful every day, several times a day, for all the people and things in my life. And I noticed that it brought me happiness. I thanked for my car, my computer, my apartment, my shoes, my teeth, my eyes, my hands, my feet, my health, etc. Then something good happened; I started to feel much better every day! Furthermore, I have seen that God will smooth the way to our realization of what we do not currently have if we appreciate what we already have. So now I see that gratitude to God is the miraculous path to happiness for today and tomorrow and all of our tomorrows.
Like this gentleman, let us be grateful and seek the best in all circumstances, by taking the time to thank God, by evoking his love and his fidelity. Appreciate ourselves and those around us. Let’s focus on all that is right in our lives. Gratitude enlarges the heart and allows even more kindness to enter it. Thus, helping us to create the future we desire.
When my friend Michelle takes her two year old daughter Lucy for a walk in the park, there are schools of wildflowers growing along the trail. And Lucy stops and smells every flower.
Let’s do like Lucy and savor life more fully. Appreciate all the good things around you. Help others. Give love and compassion. Be comforted and reassured. Walk with God and trust him in all things. And as you do, God will pour out His blessings in even larger portions.
Follow Catherine on Instagram @Catherinegalassovigorito
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