Hey Friend,

Today I want to talk to you about something incredibly simple. It’s so simple I can’t believe I’m making a whole blog post out of it. But, it’s something that can really transform your thoughts and ultimately, your day. What am I talking about?

Writing gratitude lists.

I am probably the least likely person to tell you about gratitude lists (it’s not something I do very often). I usually only think about gratitude when Thanksgiving rolls around… and (admittedly) I have a tendency to dwell on the negative things in my life. But I have seen first hand how writing a simple gratitude list change my mood from “cloudy” to “sunny” in a matter of minutes.

Writing gratitude lists has been such a help to me recently and I want to share what I’ve learned with YOU!

But first things first…

What does the Bible say about gratitude?

The Bible doesn’t mention the word “gratitude” very often. Instead, the Bible talks an awful lot about “thanksgiving”. And you know what “thanksgiving” means?

Thanksgiving (noun) the expression of gratitude, especially to God.

The concept of thanksgiving and gratitude comes up again and again in Scripture. Here are just a few of the verses that exhort us to express our thanksgiving and gratitude to the Lord:

“Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

The verse above tells us that it’s actually GOD’S WILL for us to give thanks! That must mean it’s a pretty big deal.

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

“And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” Colossians 3:17

“Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;” Ephesians 5:20

→ These are just a few of the many, many verses that talk about thanksgiving in the Bible! I would encourage you to do a little word study on your own to see all the many verses that mention this topic! Thanksgiving is obviously something we ought to incorporate into our walk with the Lord.

Why is gratitude so important?

If you’re like me, you’ve probably heard a lot about gratitude in the past, but never really experienced it’s benefits for yourself. Maybe you’ve written a few gratitude lists in the past, didn’t feel anything different, and gave up.

Well, my friend, I hate to break it to you but… writing gratitude lists is not JUST about making us FEEL better.

Being thankful and writing gratitude lists will take your focus off of yourself and place it back where it belongs – on the many blessings you’ve been given and the God Who gave them to you in the first place!

When we change our thoughts and get our minds focused on the Lord and His blessings, then our thoughts will effect out emotions and feelings. So, in a round about way, writing gratitude lists WILL make you feel better but that should not be our ultimate goal in writing gratitude lists. Our goal should be to place our focus back on the Lord and change our negative and sinful thoughts to ones the please and honor the Lord.

” Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14

My experience with gratitude lists…

In the past few months, there have been a few days where I have really struggled to feel joyful. I know that joy is a choice, but sometimes it’s a really hard choice to make when you’re just feeling “blah”. When these days happen (and they happen to all of us!) I’ve been making a greater effort to pull out my journal and write a gratitude list. This simple act of writing down all the little blessings in my life always makes an impact on my thoughts and as a result it makes an impact on my emotions as well.

I have been blessed with so much, I serve a great God, and taking the time to dwell on the goods things can really turn around my negative thoughts and a bad day.

How do I get started writing gratitude lists?

This is the fun part… and it’s so simple! Just grab a piece of paper or a notebook and start writing down little and big blessings.

This does not need to be anything fancy at all – just write down the things that come to mind. Here’s an example of one of my gratitude lists from the other today:

Blessings:

• Sunshine
• Green on the trees
• Warmer weather
• Our library
• Saving My Assassin book (it’s so good!)
• My time in the Word
• Babysitting for an hour this morning
• Plenty of food to eat
• Bananas and peanut butter
• God’s mercy and love
• Date night with Adam
• A warm and cozy bed to sleep in

Taking the time to find the good in each and every day makes a big difference. Trust me, and give it a try!

I typically use my personal journal or prayer journal to record gratitude lists. I also highly recommend this Prayer Journal for Women. It’s the one I use and it’s perfect for gratitude lists and written prayers. Each page is beautifully illustrated and has plenty of space for writing. All the verses throughout this journal are from the King James Version as well. It’s become a favorite journal of mine in the past few weeks!

→ Don’t wait till you get a fancy journal to start writing gratitude lists, just start now and see how this simple act can change your thoughts and produce more joy in your day!

Final Thoughts

Friend, I really hope you will start writing your own gratitude lists – even if it’s just a couple times a month. It makes such a difference in the way we see life, and can truly get our focus off of ourselves and onto the Lord who has blessed us with so very much!

Why not start a gratitude list right now? Take out a piece of paper and begin jotting down some blessings.

Be sure to share some blessings with us in the comments below!

Until Next Time,