6 Ways to Develop Thankfulness In Our Heart

Are you finding yourself not so thankful these days? I completely understand how you feel, I’ve been there myself. We’re all facing different problems whether it be within our families, our finances, or just life in general. But you know, no matter what, we need to keep our focus on being thankful during those times. The spirit of thankfulness is not something that comes naturally; we’re human and being thankful at all times will be hard. We need to find ways to develop thankfulness in our heart.

Ways to Develop Thankfulness

Thankful Journal – I can’t think of a better way to be reminded of what we are thankful for. Whether it is an actual journal, or a few lines in your Bible reading journal; writing down a few things you’re thankful for on a daily basis will help.

Thank You Notes – I’m a big advocate of writing Thank you notes. Yes, they take time, but the receiver will know you made the effort to share your thanks with them. Hand written is always best and will be appreciated more than an email.

Care Packages – we all know someone who would be happy with a surprise package. An elderly family member, friend, or neighbor, a college student, and even military personnel would love to receive a package made especially for them. Mints, lotions, snack foods, magazines, games, and socks are just a few items you could include. It doesn’t have to be full of expensive items because it’s coming from the heart.

Tell Another Person What They Mean to You – Encouraging words from others can brighten the day for a person. For some, they may be at a point in life to give up and hearing kind words about them will give them that bit of hope they need.

Focus on Real Life – I hate to tell you, but social media is not real life. Real life is what is going on around you right now. Turn off the electronics and focus on your home, children, and extended family members.

Share a Meal – Know a busy mother who could use an extra hour or two a day? Cooking a meal and sharing it with a family for a “just because” reason will open time up for her and it will give you a chance to help another family out.

While there are literally hundreds of ways to develop thankfulness in our heart, these six ways are rather simple enough to do on the spur of the moment.

Do you have any other ways to develop thankfulness you could share?

A New Beginning We Can Look Forward To

“I’ll be happy when this day (month, year) is over,” are words many of us have spoken. With social media up in our faces you possibly have friends and family who've said them last recently. But you know, we don’t need to wait for a new year or a new month for a new beginning we can look forward to.  Each day, each hour, and each minute is a new beginning.

A New Beginning We can Look Forward to

One of the most precious gifts God has given to man is new moments. Whether those moments come in minutes, hours, days, months, or even a new year, they are opportunities to make changes in our lives.  While it is human nature to let things weigh our heart down, we can look at the next new moment as a time to try again.

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, Philippians 3:13

We are on day 12 of a new year, are we still pondering on our past 12 months? Or are we looking ahead for a chance to make things better? Don’t let discouragement, disappointment, or heartbreak keep you from making a change. This is already a beautiful year because we are living in another year of our Lord. In fact, today is beautiful because we are living in the day of our Lord. We have a day, so make it count.

Today is a new beginning we can look forward to.

Look ahead and think about the possibilities given to us. Give the past a moment as a reminder and close the door on it. If you ever open that door of remembrance again, use it as a tool to help you in fulfilling the greatest opportunities the Lord allows you to have. Don’t allow it to be a stumbling block.

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14

Tomorrow is a new beginning
we can look forward to.

Our past tends to hang on to us with tenacity. If we allow it, it will become a weight and burden us down where we can’t be productive in our daily lives and as a Christian.

The poem "Barnacles" by Sidney Lanier explains this perfectly.

My soul is sailing through the sea,
But the Past is heavy and hindereth me.
The Past hath crusted cumbrous shells
That hold the flesh of cold sea-mells
About my soul.
The huge waves wash, the high waves roll,
Each barnacle clingeth and worketh dole
And hindereth me from sailing!

Old Past let go, and drop i' the sea
Till fathomless waters cover thee!
For I am living but thou art dead;
Thou drawest back, I strive ahead
The Day to find.
Thy shells unbind! Night comes behind,
I needs must hurry with the wind
And trim me best for sailing.

Our past is just that, our past. There is nothing we can do about it, nor can we change it. But we can work at making our next moments extraordinary. Just remember, what we make of our life is not because of our achievements, but God’s faithfulness and mercy He gives every morning.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!