A Simple Strategy to Make Gratitude a Habit

Having a grateful attitude doesn’t come naturally to most of us - or at least me. It’s something I’ve had to consciously work on, but the Lord is so kind to me in all the areas I need growth, and one strategy in particular has really helped me grow in my gratefulness throughout my day to day life. As we prepare for Thanksgiving and the holiday season, I really want to encourage you with this simple tip to practice walking in an attitude of praise - and how that can completely transform your relationship with the Lord.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Paul writes:

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

Thankfulness and praise is an attitude that we are called and commanded to walk in no matter what our circumstances look like, and as we choose to, we give God the glory. As we choose to, we're obeying His will, and consequently, drawing nearer to Him. Gratitude changes our perspective and our heart posture - often in major ways, and I know I've seen the difference in my life.

I've realized that when you take your normal thoughts and observations (like, "wow, the weather is really nice today" or "my bed is super comfy"), it is SO EASY to change that into praise. Instead of a fleeting observation, it becomes a moment to thank the Lord for the nice weather or your comfy bed. This applies to everything, and as I've practiced it more and more, I've noticed myself thanking Jesus for having clean water to wash my hands in, clothes I feel confident in, food that fills my belly, and moments of stillness between class. I observe the changing colors of the leaves or how privileged I am to have a working toilet and hot shower, and that becomes praise too.

It's that easy, my friends.

It does take practice, and you won't always turn every thought and everything you notice into a little prayer of thanks. That's okay! But as we become intentional about taking every thought captive, even the seemingly neutral ones, we find infinite opportunities to draw nearer to the Lord and cultivate a heart of rejoicing and continual thanksgiving. My relationship with Jesus has deepened the more I work on this because it creates so many little moments throughout my day that I get to connect and communicate with Him. I see His goodness, kindness, and creativity all around me, and that is such a gift.

This practice also begins creating routines, habits, and patterns of prayer. For example, every morning when I get up, I thank Jesus for my good nights sleep, my cozy bed, and for waking me up for a new day. After that, I go to the bathroom to brush my teeth and put my contacts in, and I thank Jesus for my two legs that are healthy and upright (if you know my injuries you know that's a gift!), the running water, and an opportunity to start my day with a clear mind before everything gets started. These are such little things, little prayers, but they change the trajectory of my day and the posture of my heart, and that is quite a big thing, if you ask me! I'm creating these patterns all throughout my day, and now I have such sweet moments that I get to meet with the Lord and praise Him in so many parts of my routine!

I want to warn you, though, that no amount of prayer will make God happier with you or love you more. Not praying won't take you out of the presence of God. That's such a sneaky trap that I've fallen into before, and I want you to be on guard against those subtle lies from the enemy. Praying more is a habit that allows us connect to the Lord more - not gain more favor or earn more of His presence. Our prayer life will go through seasons, and it's okay if this doesn't come naturally to you or you go through phases where it's easier to have routines of prayer throughout your day and where it's not. That's okay! God has so much grace for you, and as long as your heart is focused on Him and pursuing Him in whatever season you're in and capacity you have, He is so proud of you. He truly could not love you any more than He already loves you right now - and that will never change.

So, as the holiday season winds up to begin, I'd challenge you to reflect on where you can make prayers of gratitude a habit. Start right when you wake up or at meal times, and create patterns and space where thanking Jesus becomes your default. If it helps, write prayers on your mirror or set notifications on your phone. And if you're not sure what that looks like for you, ask Jesus what first step He wants you to take! He is such a gentle, gracious God, and He loves to help His children!

If this really resonated with you, or you're looking to grow in your prayer life - I have a little plug! I created a printable prayer and praise template to guide you as you bring all your requests and thanks to the Lord! It's only $2, and can be a really helpful tool to write down and track your prayers and how God has answered them. I also have more Bible study tools on Etsy if you're looking for Bible study templates, Scripture identity cards, conversation starter cards, and more!