Gratitude
"I feel the power that works within me when I am thankful. "
This quote triggered my memory of the quote by Eric Liddel, "God made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure".
Eric Liddles quote seems to express the idea that if God gives us a task to attend to, and we willingly align ourselves with, and submit to that task with a heart of acceptance, then we will feel God's pleasure when we are doing that task. And even if his quote were not expressing such an idea, does it not seem rational that if we knew God's will (task) for us, and we submitted to doing that task, that we would experience the pleasure of God? And, if this did seem as if it could be true, and if we were desiring to experience the pleasure of God, then wouldn't it be wonderful if we could know God's will was for us?
Well, for those who believe in the authority and authenticity of the Christian biblical scriptures, we are told what Gods will is. According to 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, the will of God for us is to "rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances." Wow! I guess we don't have to be fast runners like Eric Liddel, or do anything extraordinary to be in God's will and experience His pleasure.
Let's read this one more time so it sinks in, "rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances." These three things are, and always will be, God's main and primary will for your life. This is what He desires for your life. If you want to make God really happy, do His will. If you want to know what His will is, it is this ...
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV
"Rejoice always" kind of sounds like "be grateful always". And, this same genre of gratitude is also found in other portions of scripture. James (1:2-4) says we should "Count it all joy" whenever we experience oppositions, trials or hardships. Paul (in Phillipians 4), along with the writer of Hebrews (13:5), says to be content whether we experience pleasurable circumstances, or unpleasant ones.
There appears to be overwhelming biblical evidence that the Apostles of Love were trying to express a very important idea to their readers. GRATITUDE. GRATEFULNESS. THANKFULNESS.
The Apostles were like leaders and instructors to the early Christians. And the early Christians wanted to know what God's will was. They wanted to do what God wanted them to do because they wanted to experience the presence and the power of God. And, more than once, we see the Apostles instructing and encouraging their readers to express gratitude in every situation.
Gratitude is the intentional mental focus (meditation) upon thoughts, memories, scenarios, or experiences for which we have chosen to be grateful. According to Psalms 100:4, gratitude allows us inside the gates (or doorways) of the King's palace. The Passion Translation expresses this well.
You can pass through His open gates with the password of praise. Come right into his presence with thanksgiving. Come bring your thank offering to him and affectionately bless his beautiful name! - Psalms 100:4 TPT
One more time, from the Amplified, Classic Edition ...
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and a thank offering and into His courts with praise! Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name!
Psalm 100:4 AMPC
Being grateful, rejoicing, and "counting it all joy", regardless of our present circumstances, allows our inner being to access the presence and pleasure of the King of Love. Gratitude is like the sign of royalty. Throughout history, individuals of royalty were commonly identified by the clothing they wore, their speech, and the dignified manner in which they carried themselves. I don't know this factually, but it also seems reasonable that a King's guards would only allow individuals of royalty to freely enter the courts of the King.
Perhaps our thoughts, (judgements, beliefs, meditations) and emotions are like clothing to our soul. And if they are, then thoughts and emotions of gratitude, thankfulness, praise, and contentment must be the attire of royalty. These types of thoughts and emotions must look like beautiful, royal, vibrant multicolored clothing made of light. Thoughts and emotions related to the spirit of joy must give an individual soul the look of royalty. A mind full of constant gratitude must look like an individual who conducts themselves with dignity. The speech of an individual who is always focused on thankfulness, gratitude, praise, and believing the best in all situations (1 Corinthians 13:7) must sound like the communication that occurs within the courts of heaven.
Do you want to experience God's pleasure? Do you want to feel His presence? Would you like to stand in the presence of Heavenly hosts, and Royal spiritual beings? Do you want to talk with angels? All we have to do is start thinking like one. Choose to align your thoughts, your judgements, your mind, your brain wave frequency with the thoughts and frequency at which angels, spiritual beings, and God communicate. The frequencies of love, gratitude, and praise.
Simply put on the garments of praise (Isaiah 61:1-3). Praise is a mental and emotional action. Put your mind and emotions in the state of gratitude, thankfulness, and praise. As you learn to keep focusing your mind on seeing, perceiving, and believing the best you will be clothing yourself with beautiful, royal, spiritual clothing. "Don’t be pulled in different directions or get worried about a thing. Keep talking to God throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life. Then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding, will guard your heart and mind (Philippians 4:6-7).
In certain scenarios it can seem nearly impossible to have gratitude. I may not have the best suggestions, but here is what I do. When I choose to perceive all circumstances as "His will", knowing that He has a benevolent plan for every single scenario that will ever occur, throughout all of time, then I can more easily be grateful, "rejoice", and "count it all joy", for every situation I encounter. I can more easily experience gratitude, for both pleasant and unpleasant situations, because I know that all things will ultimately be used for good; "good" as perceived by those who love God (Romans 8:28). I can choose gratitude for every possible experience when I know that it will Glorify God. And how do I know everything will ultimately end up glorifying God, because he said, "Surrender your anxiety. Be still and realize that I am God. I am God above all the nations, and I am exalted throughout the whole earth" (Psalms 46:10 TPT).
So, do you want to more frequently feel and experience God's pleasure, His presence? Then all you have to do is this …
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
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