Attitude of Gratitude

It's so easy to complain.  Complain about jobs, or the lack of a job, complain about our homes-size, structure, age, etc.  It's easy to complain about the people in our lives-spouse, kids, family, in-laws, friends.  It's easy to complain about how horrible our lives are, and wish we had so much more.  I know how easy it is.  I used to do it.  A lot.  Several months ago, a friend and I decided we both needed an attitude adjustment.  She was reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp at the time.  We decided to force ourselves to look for the positive in each day, and at the end of the day, we'd send each other a list of at least five things we were grateful for.  We intended to do that for a week.  We started on October 13, 2011.  We are still doing this every single night.  If we miss a night for whatever reason, we do it the next day.  It was a great start to something that has been helping change my heart.

After being around a few people who always have something to complain about, I realize just how toxic this kind of attitude is.  No one wants to be around someone who is ungrateful and complaining about everything in their life.  People like that are very toxic, and they just start bringing those around them down with them.  I don't want to be that person. 

I used to feel like there was a lot I could complain about.  It was like I had that right.  But who wants to hear that?  I've found that I'm a much happier person when I stop thinking about what I/we don't have, and I stop and thank God for what I do have.  Nick has not one, but two jobs in a time where it's hard to find jobs.  We have a home to live in.  Our family is clothed.  We have plenty of food to eat.  We have two vehicles and no car payments.  We have family and friends that love us.  We have four healthy, beautiful, amazing kids.  If they aren't reason enough to be grateful, I don't know what is!  Nick and I have each other.  We have a church family that is amazing. 

The more things I find to be thankful for, the less I think about what I don't have.  I feel like complaining about what I don't have makes me sound so ungrateful for what God has given us. We can find joy in what God has given us.  I recently started reading One Thousand Gifts.  Today, on page 33, I read:
As long as thanks is possible, then joy is always possible.  Joy is always possible. Whenever, meaning-now; wherever, meaning-here.  The holy grail of joy is not in some exotic location or some emotional peak experience.  The joy wonder could be here!  Here, in the messy, piercing ache of now, joy might be-unbelievably-possible!  The only place we need see before we die is this place of seeing God, here and now. 

I thought that was so beautifully said.  We don't need things, vacations, big houses, or fancy cars to have this joy.  We can have that joy now.  We just have to stop complaining about what we don't have, and thank God for what we do have.  There are times when it's hard.  There have been times when I sent Julie my list and I was listing out the dumbest things to be thankful for because it was just one of those days.  But those "dumb" things were still worth being thankful for.  In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, it says to give thanks in all circumstances.  It doesn't say some.  For most of my life, I just sort of ignored that.  I have it written down in several places, but didn't really do it.  Giving thanks is easy when life is going well.  It's a choice, and a tough one, when life just plain sucks.  There are times it's hard to be grateful when things don't seem to go our way, and we just don't understand God.  But I have found recently that the more I give thanks during the rough times, the easier it gets, the shorter my anger or frustration period seems to be, and I feel a deeper connection with God.  Life really is so much more joyful when I live with an attitude of thankfulness.

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18