A Faith That Works When Life Doesn’t: Part 5Sample

The More Grateful You Are, the Happier You’ll Be

If you want to have healthy relationships, start with an attitude of gratitude. You will be far happier and enjoy your relationships more if you develop the habit of being grateful for the people in your life.

Philippians 1:3 says, “Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God” (NLT).

This simple truth is the foundation of good relationships.

When you think about the people in your life, is your first feeling of gratitude? Or are you more likely to think, “What do they need to do for me? What are their problems?” Your first thought may not be gratitude. But Paul’s first thought for his friends was one of gratitude, and it is the model we should follow if we want our relationships to last.

Here’s the problem: The longer we know someone, the more likely we take that person for granted. And as time passes, it becomes easier to focus on their faults instead of their strengths, on the bad times instead of the happy times.

That’s why it takes effort on our part to choose an attitude of gratitude for the people in our lives. The longer the relationship, the harder it can sometimes be. But when we give thanks to God for our spouses, children, parents, siblings, neighbors, coworkers, and small group members, we’ll experience God’s blessing on our relationships.

Talk It Over

• What negative thoughts do you need to replace with words of gratitude? Try and make this a daily habit.
• Who in your life are you thankful for? Schedule time to tell them this week.
• Why might God want us to thank him for the people he has placed in our lives?

This devotional © 2021 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.