The Key to Joy is Gratitude 7 Ways To Practice Gratitude
Ah, gratitude. Some days it feels so hard! How many of you battle depression or anxiety at times? I know I do! This past month has been especially tough with new changes in my life and I have felt so out of control that I allowed depression to set in at its highest for me. I became apathetic, unmotivated, and irritable. Those are things God does not desire for me and not what my family needs to thrive.
This morning, I just finished a chapter in the Bible and gratitude is what stood out to me the most. Interestingly, the chapter I read was not a lesson on gratitude specifically, but today I experienced how the Bible is “alive and active” (Hebrews 4:12) reaching the depth of my heart to expose where I need to repent and move forward in God’s goodness and grace.
I read the first 13 verses of 1 Corinthians 10. In these verses Paul is using the Isreaelites’ exodus from Egypt as an example to the Corinthians to repent and take caution of some similar sin struggles. The complaining and dependence of self in both parties is what pierced my heart the most. This is exactly what I came under bondage to this past month. Thankfully, since Christ lives in me I can be freed at any moment I choose to. Yes, it is my choice to walk in that freedom. Jesus is a gentleman and does not force us to walk according to His ways. It is a choice to yield to His Holy Spirit that dwells in us.
Here are two simple truths the Holy Spirit showed me. Things I needed to repent of.
Complaining reveals a heart posture of doubt.
A self-focused heart has potential for mass destruction.
We have the story of the Exodus to not only reveal God’s power and glory, but also to learn from the Israelites' mistakes. Paul was using this to help the Corinthians learn from their mistakes and press forward depending on Jesus for all things.
When we complain, we are doubting that God is giving us His best. We doubt that God actually loves us. We feel abandoned contrary to what the Bible tells us about His presence. We then become prideful to believe our way would not involve such pain or sorrow. In fact, whether through the world, our flesh, or the devil, our painful circumstances are not from the Lord.
Verse 13 tells us, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as common to man, but God is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” This verse reminds me that God is my Rescuer and my Deliverer. God knows this world is an evil place, but it is our faith in Jesus that sees us through the toughest of times. Jesus in fact tells us in John 16:33, “... in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” We are overcomers of the evil in this world because of Christ in us!
So what is God’s best? His presence and His promises. For more detail about this I have a blog titled, “His Presence over His Promises.” God’s presence is the very comfort we need to endure a sin-filled world, a place that is not our intended home. His promises are the means we depend on to endure this temporary place until we are called by Him to our eternal home.
Now, let’s talk about how the self-focused heart has a potential for mass destruction.
Do you remember the effects my depression was having on me? Apathy, lack of motivation, and irritability. The discontentment about my life’s circumstances led me to a mindset that my ways had to better than God’s. I mean I would never choose this for myself or my family so I allowed selfishness to convince me I don’t need to press on in the strength of the Lord.
Wow! I am so thankful for God’s grace and mercy that He does not leave me in these dark places, but comes after me to pull me out of the pit I tossed myself in.
Okay, so who thought I was being dramatic with the usage of the phrase “mass destruction”? Let me tell you why. It’s simple. It’s because not only do my sin struggles affect me, but they also affect those around me. This is powerful and made me realize, like the Corinthians, I was being a stumbling block to those around me. This is sin. I am not sharing this to condemn anyone who struggles with depression. I am sharing it to reveal the reality of the destruction when we stop holding on to the truth that God loves us, His Son died for us, and in Him we can overcome all the darkness of the world. Romans 8:37 says, “...we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
I know it is hard, but we have to choose to dwell in His peace with a heart of gratitude in order to be fulfilled in His joy no matter what life throws at us! God’s truth is the perfect medicine for depression and anxiety. Be on the lookout for a blog about overcoming our feelings in the strength of the Lord.
Here are some verses that may offer some comfort if you battle depression.
James 1:2-4 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance".
James 1:12 "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life".
Romans 8:28 "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose".
Romans 5:3-5 "And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope"
1 Peter 5:10 "And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast".
Isaiah 41:10 "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God"
To end this blog, I want to share 7 ways we can practice choosing a heart of gratitude that can transform a complaining, doubtful and depressed, self-focused heart into one filled with the joy of the Lord.
Memorizing Verses About Gratitude
Along with the verses above, memorizing verses on gratitude will help your mind to be focused on Christ and His goodness and faithfulness. Here are some I had in mind. Feel free to add on!
1 Thessalonians 5:18 "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
Psalm 100:4 "Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His Name."
Philippians 4:6 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
Colossians 3:15 "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful."
Colossians 3:17 "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
Ways to help with memorization could be flashcards, audio prompts, wallpaper on your phone, a song or jingle you make up, sticky notes on the mirror, the dash of your car or anywhere you frequently look. See if you can take one week to memorize some of your favorites!
Starting a Gratitude Journal
This one is part of my New Year’s Resolution! Invest in a journal that really catches your eye. It is proven that aesthetically-pleasing designs help us to stay motivated to look forward to using something and staying disciplined in a new habit.
Choose a consistent time of day to record things that happen throughout your day that you are thankful for. Or, if you are like me and battle brain fog at times, record things as they come up so you don’t have to worry about forgetting later. You can keep your journal in your purse or if you don’t have a purse, add it to the notes section of your phone and copy it into your journal later.
If you would still like more guidance to get started with this, check out this free gratitude prayer journal created by Bible Study Tools! https://newsletters.biblestudytools.com/direct-30-days-of-gratitude-thanksgiving/
Having Gratitude Discussions with Others
Remember that stumbling block issue I mentioned earlier? Well, here is a great way to reverse that! Encourage your household, family and/or friends to also start a gratitude journal with you. You can discuss your thoughts daily or make it a weekly time to gather focusing on gratitude!
If you are committing alone, that’s okay! Slip these things into casual conversations you have with other people. Let them see the joy of the Lord working in your life as an encouragement!
Another idea is to make a list of people you want to share with them things about them you are thankful for. Proverbs 16:24 says, “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.” We can edify others by vocally expressing our gratitude for them.
Replacing Worldly Lies with God’s Truths
Anytime we focus on God’s truth, we automatically put on a heart of gratitude because really His truth puts us in awe of Him and we grow in understanding.
When dealing with depression and anxiety, it is important that we recognize the lies we are believing about ourselves, others and God. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says, “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ…”
In order to put this verse into practice, I recommend taking time to write down your negative or impulsive thoughts. Then, one by one or starting with one per day, search the Scriptures for God’s truth around these thoughts. These are great verses to put into memory when those thoughts come to your mind.
Here is an example:
Lie I am believing: I feel so alone in my situation. God, where are you??
God’s Truth: Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Be vulnerable with God about your struggles. He is a God that meets us exactly where we are to offer us truth in love, mercy, grace, peace and joy and so much more!
Reading Your Bible
Maybe this feels like a no-brainer, but I encourage you that as you read to intentionally look for thankfulness in the passages you read. After reading, take some prayer time to tell God “thank you” for the things He pointed out to you in His Word. Even if He has exposed sin in your life, like He did with me today, thank Him for revealing this because now it is an area of your heart you can ask Him to purify and restore and ultimately be freed from.
The more you read your Bible, the more you see God’s character, and the more you know Him, the more you will trust Him and your faith not waver allowing doubt to creep in in troubling seasons or moments.
2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
Listening to God-Focused Worship Music
One of my favorites! For me, there is a supernatural change in the posture of my heart when I make time to praise our Holy Father.
It is important to choose music that focuses on God. I know it may sound weird for me to say that. I mean doesn’t all worship music focus on God? I wish that were the case. Actually, there is a lot of Christian music out there that focuses on ourselves and how we're feeling instead of Who God is and His goodness and faithfulness.
Here are a few recommendations of Christ-centered worship to get you started. You can listen and worship alone or invite others to join you!
Thy Will Be Done by Hillary Scott and The Scott Family
House of Miracles by Brandon Lake
Oceans by Hillsong
Same God by Elevation Worship
Firm Foundation by Cody Carnes
Battle Belongs by Phil Wickham
Trust in God by Elevation Worship
Heaven by Phil Wickham
Serving Others
Serving others is a great way to get the focus off ourselves to be vessels for God in sharing the gospel through actions of love for others. Not only are we being more others-focused when we serve, we are also experiencing gratitude from the joy we have being a blessing to someone else.
1 Peter 4:10 says, “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” Share your blessings with others!
Proverbs 19:17 says, “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done.” These rewards from serving others are something to be thankful for!
Take some time to recognize the needs of those around you. Is it someone at home? Maybe someone in your friend circle, at work, your church, or how about the homeless or an orphanage? So many are in need of the love of Christ. Prayerfully seek God’s direction in who He is calling you to faithfully serve.
Well friends, I hope you have found some encouragement in this blog to access the joy freely given by God by growing in a heart of gratitude. Yes it’s true, life of this world is not fair and this world cannot offer the peace and joy that we seek, but being in God’s presence and holding onto His promises will help us to endure the trials and tribulations of the world. Remember, the key to joy is gratitude for our Savior, Jesus Christ.
