A couple of years ago, I first got a planner in which you could write about the past week before you planned out the next one. There is a section for memories, gratitude, and progress on goals. Some might make fun of my holding onto a paper planner when I should be able to do it all with a smart phone, but I love the paper still. I’ve noticed, also, that this stopping each week to pinpoint things I’m grateful for from the past week has been so good for me!
So often we look at the things ahead, the things we messed up on, the things we need to get done and haven’t quite had the time for, but we miss the celebration of what God has done! If you stopped right now and thought of something for which you could praise Him this week, what would it be?
I think this acknowledgment of where He has brought you and the celebration of where you are now compared to where you were even a little while ago is vital in encouraging us to move forward. Moving your brain from the negative bashing to the positive thanksgiving changes your perspective, but it also changes how you view everything in your life.
Even if you’ve had a rough week up until now, I bet you can think of something for which to be grateful and something to celebrate. Maybe you did something that scared you like initiating a relationship or making a decision to quit something harmful to you (even if you haven’t actually done the quitting yet). Maybe you had a moment of kindness with someone who drives you crazy, or you chose to ask for Christ’s patience with a child that tests you constantly. Maybe you responded to your spouse not in the way they deserved but in the love of Jesus. Maybe you swept the floor, or did some dishes or put away some laundry. Maybe you made it through a few minutes of choosing not to think of yourself as a failure but seeing yourself through Jesus’ eyes.
These are all worth celebration! So, take a minute and thank Him for the victories, however small, seeing that He is at work in each piece of your life.
You can pass through his open gates with the password of praise. Come right into his presence with thanksgiving. Come bring your thank offering to him and affectionately bless his beautiful name! For the Lord is always good and ready to receive you. He’s so loving that it will amaze you—
so kind that it will astound you! And he is famous for his faithfulness toward all. Everyone knows our God can be trusted, for he keeps his promises to every generation! Psalm 100:4-5
Photo by Andre Hunter on Unsplash