The Power of Being Thankful: 365 Devotions for Discovering the Strength of Gratitude (68 page)

A confident person is a positive person. Confidence and negativity do not go together. They are like oil and water; they simply do not mix. I used to be a very negative person, but, thank God, He showed me that being positive is much more fun and fruitful.

When encouraged to think positively, people often retort, “That is not reality.” But it has been said that 90 percent of what we worry about never happens. Why do people assume that being negative is more realistic than being positive?

Thinking positive thoughts is a simple matter of whether we want to look at things from God’s perspective or Satan’s. Are you doing your own thinking, choosing carefully to think thankful, positive thoughts—or are you passively thinking whatever kind of thoughts fill your mind? Thinking negatively makes you miserable. Why be miserable when you can be happy?

Father, I am so thankful that I can choose what thoughts to dwell on. With Your help, I can reject negative thinking, and I can focus on thoughts based on Your Word. Thank You that I can be a confident, positive person.

Many people are confused about what they are to do with their lives. They don’t know what God’s will is for them; they are without direction. If you are doing nothing with your life because you are not sure what to do, then I recommend that you pray, thank God that He has a destiny for you, and begin trying some things. It won’t take long before you will feel comfortable with something. It will be a perfect fit for you.

Think of it this way: When you go out to buy a new outfit, you probably try on several things until you find what fits right, is comfortable, and looks good on you. Why not try the same thing with discovering your destiny? As we take steps of faith, our destinies unfold. A thankful person knows God is with him. He is not afraid to make mistakes, and if he does, he recovers and presses on.

I thank You today, Father, that You have a divine destiny for my life. As I step out in faith, help me discover Your good plan for my future. I am grateful that You walk with me as I seek to walk in Your path for my life.

One of the great things about a relationship with God that we can be grateful for is He always provides new beginnings. His Word says that His mercy is new every day. Jesus chose disciples who had weaknesses and made mistakes, but He continued working with them and helping them become all that they could be. Thankfully, He will do the same thing for you, if you will let Him.

The apostle Paul emphatically said that it was important to let go of what lies behind and press toward the things ahead (see Philippians 3:13). Don’t be afraid of your past; it has no power over you except what you give it. Be thankful for all you have learned in the past, even from your mistakes, and also be thankful that today is a new beginning and that something good is going to happen to you today!

I am grateful, Father, that You have given me hope for the future. Thank You that each day is a new beginning, and I don’t have to be controlled by my past any longer. I can receive Your mercy and believe for good things each new day.

Recovering from pain or disappointment of any kind is not something that just happens to some people and not to others. It is a decision! You make a decision to let go and move on. You learn from your mistakes. You gather up the fragments of your life and give them to Jesus, and He will make sure that nothing is wasted (see John 6:12). You refuse to think about what you have lost; instead, you inventory what you have left and begin using it with a thankful heart.

In Christ, not only can you recover, but you can also be used to help other people recover. Be a living example of a thankful person who always recovers from setbacks no matter how difficult or frequent they are. Don’t ever say, “I just cannot go on.” Instead, say, “I can do whatever I need to do through Christ. I will never quit, because God is on my side.”

Father, thank You that You bring healing in my life and You can create beauty from ashes. I pray that You will help me press on, refusing to quit. I want to use my experiences to help others find the same healing that I have found.

There is great joy and benefit in the principle of planting a seed. When you give to others, the Lord blesses you in return—receive His blessings with a grateful heart.

I have learned to enjoy a variety of seed planting. I love to give to those in need and help bring them to a new level of joy, and I also love to give to those who enjoy a level of life that I would like to have.

If you want your ministry to grow, find a few larger ministries you respect and sow into them. If you want your marriage healed, sow into the life of someone who has a great marriage, releasing your faith with your seed for a harvest in that area. If you want to operate more fully in the fruit of the Spirit, find someone who is more advanced in that area than you are and sow into their life.

Actually, the possibilities are endless. When you start using what you have to be a blessing to others, your well will never run dry.

Father, I thank You that there is a harvest, or return, for every seed I sow. I pray that as I bless others and invest in their lives, You will do more with that seed than I ever could on my own. Thank You that giving to others can be a blessing in my life.