Anyone can light a fire in the hearth of gratitude with the dry seasoned wood of good things. But because God says, “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:20), we need something that can light a gratitude fire using the wet green wood of problems, difficulties, challenges, and hardships.
We need a gas starter.
The Attitude of Gratitude
The fireplace in my family room has a gas starter. A thumb-sized pipe with three pupil-sized holes is located just under the grate. It emits gas when I turn it on. When I put a match to the gas a tinker bell sized flame is kindled in each of the holes. When I turn up the gas their flames increase. And they cause even the greenest wood to burn.
The Christian Attitude toward life is a gas starter for the fire we’re to burn every day, all day long in the hearth of gratitude.
This attitude’s more adept at creating a fire than an experienced arsonist. Each letter in the acronym is a hole sending a flame of grace gas to help us build a gratitude fire no matter what’s going on.
How do you turn on the gas? By engaging in the Christian self-talk of reciting The Christian Attitude sentence to yourself and pausing at each word or letter to thank God for what it assures you. That sentence is, “Through Jesus, my life is a grace G.O.O.D.—a God orchestrated opportunity for development and doxology.”
Here’s what I mean:
Through Jesus, my life is a grace G.O.O.D.: Father, thank You that all of your dealings with me are through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Through Jesus, my life is a grace G.O.O.D.: Father, thank You that my life in its totality is such a grace G.O.O.D. that even this difficulty I’m facing now is for my good.
Through Jesus, my life is a grace G.O.O.D.: Father, thank You that Your grace means that You want what’s best for me; know what’s best for me; and always do what’s best for me.
Through Jesus, my life is a grace G.O.O.D.: Father, thank You that You’re the One dealing with me now through this person or problem.
Through Jesus, my life is a grace G.O.O.D.: Father, thank You that You’ve orchestrated my life in such a way that I’m facing just this problem at just this time.
Through Jesus, my life is a grace G.O.O.D.: Father, thank You that what I’m facing now is an opportunity for me to grow into the kind of person You want me to be.
Through Jesus, my life is a grace G.O.O.D.: Father, thank You that the opportunity you are giving me now is the opportunity of developing Christ-like character.
Through Jesus, my life is a grace G.O.O.D.: Father, thank You that the time will surely come when I engage in doxology by praising You for what I’m now facing.
So, when you’re having trouble giving thanks at all times for everything, engage in Christian self-talk. Recite The Christian Attitude toward life to yourself. Pause at each word and letter and thank God for the truth it contains.
Do this and you’ll see: The Christian Attitude toward life is a gas starter for the fire of gratitude.