How you can have an attitude of gratitude
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. - Colossians 3:16
It is said that on his retreat from Greece after his great military expedition, King Xerxes boarded a Phoenician ship along with a number of his troops. But they were hit by a terrible storm, and the captain told Xerxes there was no hope unless the ship’s load was substantially lightened.
So King Xerxes looked at his fellow Persians on deck and said, “It is on you that my safety depends. Now let some of you show your regard for your king.” So many of the men on the ship bowed to Xerxes and threw themselves overboard, sacrificing their own lives for the sake of their king.
Lightened of its load, the ship made it safely back to harbor. So Xerxes immediately ordered that a golden crown be given to the pilot for saving the king’s life—just before ordering the man beheaded for causing the loss of so many Persians!
Now, thankfully, most don’t go to the extreme of Xerxes. But gratitude can be a two-edged sword, can’t it? People are often slow to give credit to others, yet when things go wrong, they like to point their finger and let everyone know who messed up. But when it comes to what God has done for you, the Bible says to be quick to say “thank you” to your Heavenly Father.
So give credit to God for His blessings in your life and let Him know you’re grateful. When you begin to give credit where it’s due, you’ll learn to live with an attitude of gratitude!
Prayer Challenge:
Tell God “thank you” for all the blessings in your life. Ask that He would cultivate in you a consistent attitude of gratitude toward Him and others.
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