GRATEFUL HEART AND THANKFUL LIFE (2)

“Praise the Lord! I will praise the Lord with MY WHOLE HEART, in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation” – Psalm 111:1

The fruits of a GRATEFUL HEART and THANKFUL LIFE cannot be hidden: “Praise the Lord! I will praise the Lord with my WHOLE HEART, in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation” (Psa.111:1). God deserves our gratitude because He is Lord. We cannot but thank Him who has graciously preserved us through all global, national, communal, and personal cataclysms, to witness the end of another year. We cultivate grateful hearts and thankful lives by feeding on Scriptures that point to the ultimate Reason and Recipient of Gratitude – GOD!

The entire Book of Psalms is a declaration of praise and thanksgiving to God from David and other grateful hearts. They praised the Lord for demonstrating His righteousness in judging the wicked, providing deliverance from their enemies, and for being trustworthy. Even though David experienced troubles, some directly of his own making, he never lost sight of the goodness of God and His incredible deeds in his life. His testimonies inspire us to intentionally give thanks to God for His abundant blessings. No matter the vicissitudes of life, there is always something to praise God for. Showing gratitude reaffirms God’s Sovereignty and redirects our attention to Him, away from our circumstances.

Psalm 111 begins and ends with Praise: “Praise the LORD! ...His praise endures forever” (vv.1, 10). It reminds us to not only give thanks, but to have our hearts transformed into grateful hearts, as we ponder on God’s wonderful Works, Love and Faithfulness. Gratitude helps to shift our focus from life’s troubles to numerous things we should be thankful for. Gratitude reminds us that even when things look bleak, there is a better way that we can always readily see. It is difficult, if not downright impossible, to be angry or worried when we are grateful. Hatred cannot persist for long in a grateful heart.

Cultivating a grateful heart is however a discipline, not a mere emotion; and every discipline demands consistent practice. We must practise thankfulness, knowing that all of life is a gift! Gratitude is more than an impulsive response to the awareness of gifts received; it is a disciplined lifestyle of intentionally acknowledging that all we are and have, are given to us as a gift of love, to be celebrated with joy. We can choose to be grateful even when our feelings are still steeped in hurt or pain. This choice often comes with some real effort; but each time we make it, the next choice is a little easier, freer, and less self-conscious, until being thankful becomes an everyday, every moment habit in our lives.

Gratitude is a testimony to the world around us, of what our loving God has done and is doing. Like David, we can give thanks to Him whole-heartedly, testifying with gladness and praises in the assembly of the upright all He has done for us.