Mindy Lee Hopman

I Choose an Attitude of Gratitude

“Gratitude is an offering precious in the sight of God, and it is one that the poorest of us can make and be not poorer but richer for having made it.” 

-A.W. Tozer

There is a secret to getting through the chaos this world offers today. 

…in everything, give thanks; this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NASB)

The secret is not for a select group of people. The secret is for all who choose to believe and walk with an attitude of gratitude.

I Choose Eucharisteo

In Greek, the word eucharisteo means to give thanks, be grateful, and return thanks. The eucharist table exists for our communion with God. Eucharisteo is a lifestyle of remembering what God did for us on the cross and seeing what He continues to do for us today.

And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ And likewise, the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.’

Luke 22:19-20 (ESV)

The root word for eucharisteo is charis, which means grace, and the Greek word chara translates to JOY! At the communion table, thanks is given, and in return, grace is found.

Gratitude begins with praising God, and praise always begins with the posture of my heart. It begins with me. Search me, Lord, and know my heart (Psalm 139).

David continually walked with an attitude of gratitude and praised God for who He was, “I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1 (NASB) 

In fear for his life, David let God search him and know his heart. The posture of David’s heart was low and prayerful. David understood the relationship between the Creator and creation. 

Remember, when the posture of my heart bows low, it reaches high above the chaos, concern, and worry my finite eyes can see. 

The posture of our hearts follows the object of our desire. What is the object of my desire? In Hebrew, the word for praise is tehillah it means to worship the object of our desire, and as we worship, Our Heavenly Father reveals Himself to us. 

At that time, Jesus said, ‘I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.’ ‭‭

Matthew‬ ‭11:25-27‬ ‭NASB1995‬

Jesus praised God for revealing Himself through Jesus to the disciples and the people, but according to the world, this is an upside-down perspective. Jesus says, You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Not physical infants, but those humbled in heart and willing to grow in their faith. Those who grasped this fresh perspective were teaching what would later be known as Christianity. 

His Grace – My Rest

When grace is found, so is rest.

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.

Matthew 11:28-30 (NASB) 

You and I don’t deserve grace, yet we receive grace through Jesus’s death on the cross. He died for us so we may live. When we return to Him and give thanks, He fills us with the powerful Holy Spirit, and gratitude can’t help but invade our hearts.

For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

John 1:16 (ESV)

We miss the mark when we praise the creation instead of the Creator. It’s like playing a game of darts and hitting the outer circles every time. Ingratitude causes separation, division, and death.

We give thanks not for what is happening around us, but for what God did for us.

We give thanks because God sacrificed His Son for you and me.
We give thanks for the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We give thanks because God still holds the whole world in His hands.
We give thanks because Jesus overcame, and one day, in Him, so will we.

When we give thanks, our hearts bow low and reach high above the chaos of what we see in this world. We give thanks because we understand God is making all things new and working everything out for my good and HIS glory. 

And when we give thanks, guess what happens? My words create thoughts that produce deep feelings of gratitude. 

My Actions Precede My Feelings

When our feelings change, our hearts find rest in Him, and we begin to notice.

We notice the little gifts and the big gifts He gives us.
We notice the sunrise and the sunset all around us.
We notice our family members and friends and take time for deep conversations.
We notice the freedom we live in daily and the men and women who fought for that freedom whom we celebrate this Veteran’s Day.
We notice and feel the snuggles of our children and our pets.
We notice the many flavors of food.
We notice the diversity of our beautiful world.
We notice the birds chirping, and all of a sudden, our whole hearts begin to overflow with gratitude. 

Before Jesus performed any act, He praised God and gave thanks. The actions of giving praise and giving thanks affect the heart significantly, and they produce feelings of gratitude. The heart’s affections trigger deep feelings of gratitude and cause great joy, leading to praise.

Joy can’t help but overflow when gratitude lives in the heart! 

“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” Colossians 3:17 (NASB)

The secret to getting through the world’s chaos – two words, “thank you.”