Journal Entry ~ 03/21/19

1 Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the house of the LORD! 
2 Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the LORD! 
3 May the LORD bless you from Zion, he who made heaven and earth!  - Psalm 134 

When God works in our lives, it should well up such a sense of gratitude, that we can’t help sharing our praise with anyone who will listen. Our praises bless the Lord! Sadly, we often respond like the lepers - so happy to be healed that we skip away in joy, neglecting to acknowledge the very reason we have been restored, or worse - we’re so focused on the negative things in our lives, that we don’t even notice the miracles on our lives. 

So how do we stay thankful in a world that steals our joy? We must have eyes to see. In other words, we have to consistently remind ourselves He is at work, and look for evidence of God. The world is distracting, we can turn a blind eye to God’s amazing creation and to His wondrous works, and when we do, we neglect to thank Him. It always amazes me when I go to beautiful places that are not my home - I stand in awe at the mountain tops or the endless ocean. But the people who live in those places don’t even take notice of the beautiful creation around them. We grow blind to the beauty that exists around us unless we intentionally stop to notice. We also grow blind His work in people - choosing to praise them for their work or the doctors for their healing. We must have eyes to see God’s amazing grace at work in people, and how He uses people for His purposes. Far to often, we praise ourselves or others, failing to recognize His glory. He is blessed when we have eyes to see Him. 

Another way we can stay thankful is to keep our memory sharp. Reminding ourselves of all the ways He has worked in and around our lives ensures our hearts stay soft. It’s easy to forget the blessings from last week or last year - and when we forget, our hearts hardest. We need to remember. Keep a journal for the year - every time you recognize the hand of God in your life, write it down. It will blow you away how many times you see His goodness when you have eyes to see and you begin recording those moments. Then, when you are struggling to see His goodness, get the journals back out and remember. 

Finally, speak your thankfulness. Make your lips say how you are thankful - out loud, all day long. The best way to conquer those negative thoughts is pouring out our gratitude to others and to Him. His Spirit is strengthened within us and His presence becomes tangible when we speak His praises. 


Press on ~ you are loved 💗

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