An Attitude of Gratitude

Gratitude

"And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Colossians 3:17

The following is from Steven Curtis Chapman's book "The Great Adventure."

"As we travel the journey of life, we are guaranteed disappointment and discouragement. But one of the quickest cures for the blues and blahs, one of the best ways to renew a sense of optimism, is to find something to be grateful for. When we practice gratitude day by day and keep a sense of being thankful, we find ourselves giving thanks in every circumstance, both pleasant and painful..."

He goes on to relate a story that was told to him by his pastor. "Recently he told about traveling through the Swiss Alps by train and being overwhelmed with the beauty and majesty surrounding him. He was so busy trying to take in all the sights, he almost got a crick in his neck looking out of the windows. At the same time, he glanced across the aisle and noticed a young boy with his nose practically glued to the screen of a Game Boy. He was not the least bit concerned to be missing all the majesty around him."

Doesn't that sound like us? Too often we are so consumed by the game of life that we forget that we serve a God who has given us all that we need. We need, as TD Jakes has put it, "An attitude of gratitude."

This story inspired Steven to pen these lyrics:
"Sometimes it seems I'm playing Game Boy
Standing in the middle of the Grand Canyon
I'm eating junk food sitting at a gourmet feast
I'm splashing in a puddle when I could be swimming in the ocean
What's wrong with me
Wake up and see the glory"

Be thankful today. People are watching!