The Power of Being Thankful: 365 Devotions for Discovering the Strength of Gratitude (2 page)

One of the most powerful forces in the universe is hope. And as a child of God, you can have hope in unlimited measure. That’s something to be thankful for!

Hope is the happy anticipation that something good is going to happen in your life. It’s expecting something good. What are you expecting? Have you even thought about it? If you’re expecting nothing, or if you are expecting just a little bit, you are going to get what you expect.

I always say, “I’d rather believe for a whole lot and get half of it than believe for a little bit and get all of it.”

God wants you to trust Him and have a happy expectation for something good. If you’re in a tough situation today, expect it to change. If you’re in a good situation today, expect it to get even better. God is a God of hope.

Lord, thank You for the power of hope in my life. Thank You that You are going to do something good, and I can trust You and hope for the best.

I encourage you to be a thankful, positive person. If you aren’t it’s just a matter of forming a new habit.

I was so negative at one time in my life that if I even tried to think two positive thoughts in succession my brain seemed to stop functioning. But now I am very positive and actually don’t enjoy being with people who are negative.

If you have not formed the habit of being positive yet, you can begin today! Put reminders around your house or in your car, little signs that say, “Be positive.” Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you if you are slipping into negativity. Ask your friends to help also. Set aside time during the day to focus on and be thankful for the good things God has blessed you with.

Positive, thankful thoughts don’t happen by accident; you can choose to practice them. And remember, practice makes perfect.

Thank You, Father, for helping me think positive thoughts. I am grateful that I am not a prisoner to negative thinking and that I can choose to be happy and joy-filled.

Taking time to enjoy the fruit of your labor is one of the main things that will keep you pressing on in difficult times.

God gave many men and women in the Bible difficult tasks to perform, but He always promised a reward. Looking to the reward helps us endure the difficulty. The Bible says in Hebrews 12:2 that Jesus despised the cross, but He endured it for the joy of obtaining the prize that was set before Him. He is now seated at the right hand of the Father.

I encourage you not to look merely at the work you do, but look also at the promise of the reward. Take time to be thankful for and enjoy the fruit of your labor and then you’ll be energized to finish your course.

Thank You, Father, that I can always look forward to Your reward in my life. I am grateful that difficult times never last forever, but I can learn from them and expect Your goodness in my life.

The mind is the leader or forerunner of all actions. The steps we take each day are a direct result of the thoughts we allow ourselves to think.

If we have a negative mind, we will have a negative life. On the other hand, if we renew our mind according to God’s Word, we will experience “the good and acceptable and perfect will of God” for our lives (Romans 12:2).

So many people’s struggles are rooted in wrong thinking patterns. Negative thinking can actually cause them to create the problems they experience in their lives; thankfully, though, we don’t have to live captive to those thoughts. We can choose to line our thoughts up with the Word of God.

The mind is a battlefield. Decide to resist destructive, negative thinking and dwell on godly thoughts for your life instead. The more you change your mind for the better, the more your life will also change for the better.

Father, I’m thankful that I don’t have to live as a captive to my thoughts. With Your help, I can change those negative thoughts that are affecting my life. I can win the battle of the mind by spending time in Your Word, meditating on Your promises, and making a conscious effort to think God-honoring thoughts over my life.

One of the most important truths you can be grateful for is that God has promised to never leave you—He is always by your side!

That’s why it is important to remember this: No matter how difficult the circumstances may seem around you, don’t give up! God is for you, and He is bigger than any trouble you may be facing.

You can regain the territory the devil has stolen from you. If necessary, regain it one inch at a time, being thankful for and always leaning on God’s grace and not on your own ability to get the desired results. In Galatians 6:9, the apostle Paul simply encourages us to keep on keeping on! Don’t be a quitter! Have an “I can do all things through Christ” attitude. God is looking for people who will go all the way through to the other side with Him.

Thank You, Father, that You give me the strength to never quit. I am grateful that You are always with me and that You fight my battles.