Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18

There are some aspects of developing an attitude of gratitude that only come from walking through struggles. Difficulties are not meant to be roadblocks in your life—God wants to use them to transform you and make you more like Him!

Just as we can see in nature, like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly, it is natural for us to go through a process of struggle as we experience personal transformation and are nurtured into spiritual maturity. Especially when our lives are full of challenges, we can develop a heart of gratitude by focusing on all the good gifts God has given us.

Gratitude produces something greater in you and something greater in others!

Here are six ways you can be proactive with the Word of God and practice gratitude in your everyday living. As my wife and I like to say, “Practice makes progress!” Step-by-step and choice-by-choice, you can embrace a heart of gratitude and become a thankful person:

1. Have a Gratitude Journal: Consistently write down the things in your life that you thank God for.

2. Give Voice to Your Gratitude: Talk about it and tell others what you are thankful for.

3. Meditate on God’s Goodness: Remember and reflect on all the things you are thankful for, and brag about how good God is!

4. Express Gratitude Tangibly: Look for practical ways you can show your thankfulness to your family, friends, coworkers and anyone in your life!

5. Seek Gratitude in the Bible: Receive encouragement from the lives of godly men and women who cultivated a lifestyle of thanksgiving.

6. Keep a Clean Heart and Let Go of Offense: To have a heart that is free from being offended, offer all of your offense to the Lord and let Him set you free!

The Lord bless you and keep you!

by Ché Ahn