ˈFlər-IshUzorak

DAY 2: GRATITUDE

Hey! Welcome to Day 2! I’m JJ. How did you do yesterday with disconnecting? I certainly hope you survived and aren’t suffering from FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). Day 2 of our challenge is GRATITUDE. This is one of my absolute favorite practices. I’ve seen miracles happen in my life because of the consistent practice of having and showing gratitude. Giving thanks and appreciation throughout your daily life allows you to step back from the world that says, “More! More! More! You need more!”

Gratitude brings you into the present and helps you focus on what you have right now! I love that we can’t be angry and frustrated while abiding in the space of gratitude. So when your day is pretty sucky, go right into gratitude. Can’t seem to find anything to be grateful for? I know some days can be unbearable! I talk about these days in my workbook, ALL FALLS DOWN. There is always something to be grateful for. Always. Clean water to drink and bathe in. Fresh air to breathe. Being in your right mind. Having God’s listening ear at all times.

There are many benefits of gratitude.

According to Psychology Today, gratitude helps lower cortisol levels in our bodies by about 23%, thereby preventing the health problems stress can cause.

Gratitude releases the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin that cause us to feel great! I guess you can say gratitude increases our well-being and not just for ourselves but for our relationships too. Being grateful for friends and family helps us to strengthen those relationships.

And that’s not it; gratitude helps improve sleep! When you go about your day in gratitude, you acquire more positive thoughts and less negative ones, so when bedtime comes, you can sleep longer and even fall asleep faster.

What does the Word say about gratitude? Your scripture today comes from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 -

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Apostle Paul is encouraging Christians in Greece. REJOICE ALWAYS. This tells us our JOY isn’t conditional. It’s available at all times because of the access we have to the Holy Spirit. When the Apostle Paul encourages us to pray continually, he means we are to keep the posture of prayer at all times.

Give thanks in all circumstances. Why? Because we serve a sovereign God who is involved in every part of our lives, and if we truly believe that ALL THINGS God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose, then we can live in gratitude at all times!

Today, I want you to write down seven things you are grateful for in the morning and seven things you are grateful for at night. At some point in the day, reach out to someone and tell them you are grateful for them and why.

Moving forward, how can you create a plan to implement gratitude daily?