“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.” Mark 14:22-23
After the most recent attack of spiritual warfare, I had had enough of the Christian life. Like a boxer, weary and tired from the last ten rounds, I found it nearly impossible to get up to fight the eleventh or twelfth round. I enlisted the help of professionals and talked about it with my husband, but nothing helped. I was ready to throw in the towel of the spiritual life. One day in my quiet time, the Holy Spirit convicted me that I needed to change my attitude. I needed to change it from one of discontent to one of gratitude.
I bought a blank journal and began to write down all my blessings. I took ten minutes of my quiet time each day and wrote down all the things that I was thankful for. At first, I could only write a little. Soon, I needed more than ten minutes. My journal was filled with pages of things I could be thankful for. After I changed my attitude, I started seeing the world differently. Going out to run errands or participating in mundane tasks throughout my week, I began to see them as ways to be thankful, not chores to dredge through. My determination to change my attitude to one of gratitude changed how I saw the world, other people, and all the blessings that God provided in my life.
Jesus understood the value of an attitude of gratitude. In the above verse, Jesus chose to spend his last hours on earth eating dinner with his disciples. Even during this time of fellowship, Jesus chose to break bread with Judas, the one who would betray him. Yet, he didn't allow that betrayal to ruin the moment. Even when he knew his fate and what would soon arrive for him: the vicious beatings, the incredible loneliness, and betrayal, he still chose to give thanks to God for all of it. If Jesus can choose to be grateful for one of the most difficult periods of his life, then so can we. He savored every bite of his bread, every drink from his cup, every laugh and conversation he had with those disciples. He chose to spend the last moments of his life interacting with people who wouldn't even show up when he was crucified.
He could have chosen to spend his last moments alone. He could have chosen to spend time praying to God. But instead, he chose to fellowship with the people with whom he had spent three close years. While I wanted to pull the covers up over my head in bed when I was going through a tough time, Jesus chose to spend it with the same people he knew would betray him. His life was the sacrifice of grace, mercy, and gratitude, even in his last moments.
Do you have an attitude of gratitude? Do you choose to see every facet of your life, even the most mundane tasks and difficult seasons, as things to be grateful for? Or do you see them as times to contemplate God's "unfairness" or "injustice"?
Choose to adopt an attitude of gratitude. An attitude of gratitude begins with the renewal of our minds. Get a blank journal and spend time each day giving thanks for all that God has done. It can be as simple as your home, the food on your plate, or the clothes on your back. As you begin to write (or speak) these blessings out to God, you will find your attitude changes. You will find you are less apt to complain and more able to bask in the many ways God has blessed you. Watch as your brain re-wires from one of complaining and negativity to one of positivity and thankfulness. When we choose to see even more difficult seasons of our lives as things to be grateful for, we can live our lives with more peace, more grace, and more mercy. All because we choose to be thankful.
Father, let us be grateful in all things and all circumstances. Let us not adopt an attitude of complaining or negative thinking. Rather, let us renew our minds and choose to see everything in our lives with thankfulness. Allow us to make the time to express our gratitude to you daily so our attitudes can reflect more Christlike behavior. Amen.
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Kelly Sikkema
Originally published Friday, 26 April 2024.
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