Devotionals for the Heart: Gratitude Will Change Your Attitude

Remember to Thank Your Heavenly King
A devotional by Wendy Wilson Spooner

“Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever.”

—Psalm 136:3 (NIV)

Studies conducted on the effect of gratitude on our well-being have redundantly revealed positive results to the point it is almost cliché. Such as, improved physical health, mental health, resilience, and strengthened social bonds.

Many of our homes contain small wooden signs that state, “Thankful. Grateful. Blessed.” I personally love this reminder. It helps me remember how much God loves me when I consider my blessings, but even more when I drop to my knees to thank Him.

What does the word of God have to say about being thankful?

Many people love the story of The Ten Lepers (Luke 17:11-19). We can imagine, to an extent, what it would be like to be labeled “unclean” and “untouchable”. Oh, the loneliness! Not to mention the miserable existence to live in a diseased body that slowly wastes away. And then to experience the love of another person for maybe the first time ever from the Son of God (Jesus Christ)? The joy and tears of these outcasted lepers must have been immense.

But the most important part of this story, and possibly the most beautiful example of gratitude in all scripture, is the one leper—out of ten—who returned to Jesus to thank Him for the miracle of healing.

Times I have experienced great trials and suffering myself have been alleviated when I remember to recognize how God has surrounded me with wonderful things, which encourages me to count my blessings, not my burdens. Counting our blessings can have the power to magically restore a sense of direction, or a change in perspective when all seems lost.

Right now, post-Covid financial difficulties have peaked for me and my family. The stress of this situation was so bad recently that I developed a debilitatingly painful stomach ulcer. But as I remembered to look around me and count my blessings, I was encouraged because I recognized that we still had a roof over our heads, we have cars to drive, and our family members are healthy and well. Soon after remembering the goodness of God in all of these areas, I snapped out of my “doom-and-gloom” downward spiral into darkness and returned to live in the Light of Jesus Christ. As a result of this change in perspective, my stomach ulcer is healing! It rarely flares up anymore.

Thanking God is a choice we can make every day, anytime, anywhere. So, the next time you feel like you’re drowning in earthly cares, look heavenward, then around you, and consider what you can be thankful for.

It’s not so easy to remember to have an attitude of gratitude, especially when darkness surrounds us. So be proactive and put a reminder on your mirror, or in your car. Remember, God can fill us with His Holy Spirit and pure joy like nothing and no one else on Earth can!

Jesus is the source of true happiness.

He is the source of pure and everlasting joy!

Let’s Pray: Our Father in Heaven, bless us to remember You in our darkest times. Most importantly, help us to remember You are the Light! Thank you for all the goodness You pour upon us. You are the one true source of joy, especially during trying times! We love You, Lord. Keep us close to Your Heart. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

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Author Bio:

Wendy is a Genetic Genealogist by day, a writer by night, and an artist in between.  

Her love of what we can learn from history compels her to write the true stories she unearths because she’s found that truth is indeed much more exciting and inspiring than fiction.

Wendy writes about family, faith, grief, art, and overcoming obstacles in life by coming to know who we really are—the children of God, and the descendants of incredible people who paved the way for us—even if they really struggled. Wendy believes in learning from our ancestors, honoring them, and then standing on their shoulders to become a better generation.

As an award-winning family history writer, Wendy’s debut novel, Once Upon an Irish Summer, released April 3, 2020. This book is a dual timeline historical fiction novel about a young, gifted artist suffering from debilitating grief, who finds healing and inspiration in her Irish ancestry, and goes on to paint a masterpiece.

The sequel, Celtic Winter: Eliza’s Story, released November 5, 2021. The storyline goes back in time to the little sister left behind in Ireland to keep her family alive, woven with present-day Beth’s continuing story as she races the clock with the young man she loves to find the only person who could save his mother’s life.

When Wendy is not researching or writing, she hikes, paints, loves being a church youth leader, binges on epic Bollywood movies, and hangs out with her greatest loves—her family.

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Connect with Wendy:
Website: https://wendywilsonspooner.com/
Blog: https://wendywilsonspooner.com/blog
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorWendyWilsonSpooner/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendyspooner/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Wendy_W_Spooner