The Power of Being Thankful: 365 Devotions for Discovering the Strength of Gratitude (14 page)

Praise, worship, and thanksgiving are some of the simplest ways we can pray, and yet they are powerful spiritual dynamics. They are types of prayer because they are expressions of our hearts toward the Lord. When we praise, worship, or give thanks, we are talking to God—and that’s all prayer really is.

Praise, worship, and thanksgiving enhance and empower our prayer lives because they keep our hearts focused on the Lord instead of on ourselves. They allow us to connect with God in passionate ways and to encounter His presence in our everyday lives. We do not need to wait for a church service or a corporate gathering in order to experience or express praise, worship, and thanksgiving; we can incorporate them into everything we do, all day long.

Father, I thank You that I can come to You in praise, worship, and thanksgiving all through the day. Help me to keep my heart focused on You instead of the circumstances around me. Thank You that You hear me and You are pleased with my praise.

All it takes to begin to enjoy life to the fullest is a decision. And that decision affects everything—even the overlooked areas of our lives.

For example, you can decide to enjoy not only your work and your accomplishments, but even the commute to work in the mornings. Don’t get so frustrated about traffic and have your mind on what you need to do when you arrive that you fail to enjoy the trip.

We can be grateful in traffic—grateful that we have a car, grateful that the car is running properly, grateful that we have a job, and grateful that we have a few extra minutes to spend time with God while we’re stuck in traffic.

I encourage you to enjoy the little things today. Enjoy your home, your friends, your children… and yes, even the commute to work. Remember, all it takes is a decision.

Father, today I am deciding to be grateful for the little things and the overlooked things in my life. Help me have a heart of thanksgiving that chooses to see You and Your blessings in every situation.

God is slow to anger and plenteous in mercy (see Psalm 103:8). It is impossible to deserve mercy, and that is why it is such a waste of time to try to pay for our mistakes with good works or guilt. We don’t deserve mercy, but God gives it freely. This free gift is something to be thankful for!

Mercy overrides “the rules.” You may have grown up in a home that had lots of rules, and if you broke any of them, you got into trouble. Although God does intend for us to keep His commands, He understands our nature and is ready to extend mercy to anyone who will ask for and receive it.

When we learn to receive mercy, then we will also be able to give it to others—and mercy is something many people seriously need.

Thank You, Father, for the way You extend mercy to me each and every day. I desire to please You in everything I do, but I thank You that when I fall short, You never fail to bless me with the free gift of Your love and mercy.

With the help of the Lord, we can be a model of generosity for all those we come in contact with. If you are a giver rather than a taker in life, it won’t take long before people realize you are quite different from what they are accustomed to. As they witness your joy, they will see that a thankful heart and a generous spirit make a person happier than being selfish.

Jesus encouraged us to let all men see our good and kind deeds so they would recognize and glorify God (see Matthew 5:16). Jesus did not mean that we should be show-offs or do things for the purpose of being seen; He was encouraging us to realize how much we do affect the people around us. Certainly, we can negatively affect others, but generosity also affects those around us in very positive ways, and makes us happy people.

Father, I thank You for the measure of influence You have given me. With Your help, I am going to use that influence to model a generous spirit. Help me, Father, to be a light in the darkness today.

Everything we undertake in life has a beginning and an end. Typically, we are excited at the beginning of an opportunity, a relationship, or a venture; we’re also happy when we can celebrate our achievement and have the satisfaction of a fulfilled desire. But between the beginning and the end, every situation has a “middle”—and the middle is where we often face our greatest challenges.

Between our beginnings and our endings we must develop the determination necessary to overcome the difficult circumstances we encounter in the middle. We can be people who finish what we begin. And we can be thankful that we don’t have to do it alone—God will help us if we let Him.

You may be in the middle of something right now. Whatever you find yourself in the middle of, ask God for His strength and wisdom, discipline yourself a little while longer, and determine to see it all the way through to the finish.

I thank You, Father, that I am not alone in the middle of this situation. You are right here with me, and You are giving me the strength I need. With Your help, I am determined not to quit. I’m going to see this through and give You the glory with a successful finish!