Lord Change My AttitudeFrom Complaining To Thankfulness

Macdonald, James. Lord, Change My Attitude: Before It's Too Late.

Moody Publishers.

From the Book:

“give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ

Jesus for you.”

(1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV)

“Thankfulness is the attitude that perfectly displaces my sinful tendency to complain and thereby release joy

and blessing into my life.”

Thankfulness Defined

“The word gratitude is defined in the Oxford Dictionary this way: “to show that a kindness received is valued.”

Genuine gratitude requires that we get past obligation and somehow show that we deeply appreciate

what we’ve received.

Gratitude Defined

The Source of Gratitude

“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. [20] For his invisible attributes, namely, his

eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in

the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”

(Romans 1:19-20 ESV)

The Source of Gratitude“For although they knew God,

they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they

became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of

the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.”

(Romans 1:21-23 ESV)

The Source of Gratitude

“Only when we acknowledge God as the gracious provider of general

blessings, like life and breath, food and shelter, do we begin to

comprehend our need for God in a personal way and begin to express

faith in Him.”

The Source of Gratitude“Genuine gratitude must be

distinguished from the kind of thanks we are programmed to spout as

children. Maybe your mom was the same as mine. No sooner had

someone given me half a cookie, than I felt her elbow and heard the

whisper, “Say thanks. Say thanks!”.

The Source of Gratitude“By the time we were three years

old, the MacDonald children had said “thanks” about a million times.

Then, before we knew it, we were poking our own kids: “Say thanks.

Say thanks.”

Levels of GratitudeThe elementary level teaches us to be thankful in the most basic sense. It instructs us to “continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to

His name” (Hebrews 13:15). In effect, we say to God, “Fine! You

helped me, and now I said thanks. My obligation

has been met; I recognize Your involvement.”

Levels of Gratitude

Level two is called high school thankfulness. “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in

Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV). In every

situation, you and I can always find something to be thankful for—

always.

Levels of GratitudeLevel three is called graduate school

thankfulness. Be thankful for all things. This is beyond the high

school thankfulness that searches to find a good aspect in a challenging

circumstance. This is the thankfulness that trusts God and

thus is grateful for the bad things, even the things you wouldn’t

choose. “Be filled with the Spirit,...giving thanks always for all things to God” (Eph 5:18, 20 NKJV).

Steps to a Thankful Attitude

“Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love

endures forever! Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has

redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in; hungry and thirsty,

their soul fainted within them.

Steps to a Thankful AttitudeThen they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from

their distress. He led them by a straight way till they reached a city

to dwell in. Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his

wondrous works to the children of man! (Psalm 107:1-8 ESV)

Steps to a Thankful Attitude

1I. Thankfulness is a decision based in reality

1. Thankfulness is a decision

1II. Thankfulness is a life changing decision

Rubber Meets The Road Questions

1I. Am I seeing the blessings of thankfulness in my life?

1. Am I a thankful person?

1II. Am I choosing thankfulness over complaining moment by moment?