Wisdom Regarding The Gratitude List

Each week, in our weekly Military Veteran's class that we call "Soul Talk," a group of Veteran's answer one question:  How is it with your soul?  As we do we utilize the "Wisdom Wheel," while the group interacts and answers the question. Ever so often the idea is floated (especially when discussing challenging times) that it would be helpful to set up a gratitude list.  This has set me to wondering, "What makes this so important?"  The following is a little bit of what I have gathered:

 

It seems to me that setting up a gratitude list refocuses my thoughts from looking at circumstance in a negative way.  I can be complaining about all the "I don't haves" for as long as I want, and I will get the same thing.  I will get a sense of darkness and uncomfortable emotions... maybe even real pain.  After all it seems that it is true that my feelings will follow my thoughts, and it is true that for every thought there is a feeling and for every feeling there is a thought.

 

For example, I can complain about the kind of home I live in.  I can complain about the amount of money I have. I can complain that I don't have a certain car.  Or... well you get my drift.  As I focus on these liabilities, I will have an emotional reaction of depression, disappointment and guilt.  It will not be well with my soul.

 

However, I can also focus the locus of my focus on the fact that I am paying my bills and thank God for it.  I can focus on the fact that I have dependable transportation, and say, "Thank you God." I can thank God that I am able to get out of bed.  I can be thankful for having enough food.  I can thank God for my spouse, my children and name them...my grandchildren.  When I make this my focus my emotional state tends to lift, and it seems to be well with my soul.  Biblically this is called having God inhabit my praise.

 

Let me take this one step further.  I can thank God for what I don't have, while at the same time expressing my need for Him to help me.  In other words I can still cast all my anxieties on Him because He cares for me; yet at the same time thank Him while I do.  Indeed there are some verses that validate this during those times when I am feeling anxious.  See Philippians 4:6-7. 

 

"Don't be anxious about anything, but when you are anxious... in everything ... pray and petition God, while you thank Him,

talk to God about what is going on.

 

When you do this, the peace of God that transcends anything

that you can understand

will guard your hearts and minds

IN Christ Jesus."

 

So I am not saying that you "should" not be aware of your liabilities.  And I am NOT saying that you are NOT to  talk about them with someone your trust, as well as God.  I am saying that deliberately taking out a piece of paper and writing this "while you thank Him" list, will have a positive impact on your emotional state of being.

 

Try writing 5 things a day about which you are thankful.  Then as the list get's longer, every morning and night speak the thanksgivings on your list out loud.  I think you will find this really will do you a whole lot of good.

 

Yup! There is real wisdom in developing a gratitude list, especially during this month of Thanksgiving.

 

Now why don't you make the wise choice and give this a try?  I think that if you do....

 

You Will Be Blessed 2day

Especially 2day.

 

SoJourner