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Gratitude: Meditation 3

Today, we're going to meditate on gratitude. Being grateful is one of the best things we can do to honor God and to improve our outlook on life. Gratitude helps us to look forward to the days ahead. It relieves stress. It lessens worry. Hopefully, we'll focus more on gratitude instead of grumblings. As Colossians 3:23-24 NIV states, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." And also, Psalm118:24 HCSB, "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." 

Listen to meditation 3.

If you haven't done so already, you'll need to gather your journal, water, and tissues. Turn on some relaxing music/sounds if you enjoy that. Find a comfortable seat. Today, we'll overlap our hands and place them on our chest, over our heart. Close your eyes if you want and focus on breathing. You can also use a visual, such as a flickering candle, as a focal point. 

Let's start with gentle breaths to prepare ourselves to accept gratitude. Inhale through your nostrils and gently exhale through your mouth, as if blowing through a straw. Feel your chest rise and fall; pay attention to the oxygen that is keeping you alive as you breathe it in. Remember to relax the muscles in your forehead, your face, your neck, your shoulders, arms, legs, anywhere you're body is tense. Relax, relax. Allow the stomach to inflate as you breathe in and deflate as you breathe out. Shoulders should naturally rise as you breathe in and fall as you breathe out. Let your mind focus on gratitude as you continue to breathe. 

Today's meditation affirmation is "I am grateful." Heavenly Father, I am grateful for this day that You have created for me. Thank You for giving me this gift of life. Thank You for being someone I can always turn to when life gets harrowing. 

Gratitude journal
image courtesy of Gabrielle Henderson via Unsplash

Father, I am grateful for Your Son, Jesus Christ, who bought my salvation with His precious blood. I am grateful for Your Holy Spirit who pursued me, who teaches me and guides me through life. Thank You for the life-giving air, water, food, 5 senses needed to sustain life. Thank You for my God-given gifts, my interests that make me unique.

I am grateful for the trials in life, because I know they make me stronger. I am grateful for work, because it keeps me focused. I am grateful for nature, because it reminds me of You and gives me something beautiful to look at. All I am grateful for brings me closer to You. So, yes, I am grateful. Thank You, Father. Let's take 3 more deep, gentle breaths, repeating, "I am grateful," in our minds. 

Let's finish with this quote from James Clear to help us focus on gratitude more often:

Where you spend your attention is where you spend your life.

Well done. Thank you for going on this grateful journey with me today. Now open your eyes if you had them closed. Place your hands on your lap and gently tap your fingers, one at a time, on your legs. Gently move your head from side to side. Welcome back. Now, get a drink of water and open your journal.

Title the journal entry "I am grateful". 

  • List the Bible verses and quote from today's meditation. 
  • Next, list the "grateful" things mentioned in this meditation if you want to. 
  • Then write down anything else you're grateful for that wasn't mentioned in this meditation. 
  • Don't forget to be grateful for past and present problems that have and will make you strong for the Lord's work. How did they or will they make you stronger?
  • Leave a few blank pages, because I'm sure you will want to revisit this journal entry from time to time to update your list.
  • Do you feel more grateful? If so, write it down.
  • What changed when you started realizing you're grateful? Did your mood lighten? Did you realize that it's easier to get through the day being grateful instead of dreadful?

When you're finished writing in your journal, please watch and listen to the YouTube video that I've embedded below - Gratitude by I Am They. 

Song: Gratitude - by I Am They (Featuring Chenyenne Mitchell)

Radiate love, and sparkle for the Peace of Christ. Glory to God in Heaven.

Grateful for you today and wishing you many blessings,

Patricia
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