Gratitude On Guard

Gratitude on Guard

The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.

Psalm 28:7

Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

Colossians 2:7

Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.

Ephesians 5:4

One of the favorite tourist stops for people visiting London, England, is to watch the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. Besides putting on a grand show, the guard actively protects the palace and the queen from anything and anyone who might seek to penetrate the walls of the palace and harm her.

Likewise, there are many harmful attitudes that would like to penetrate the walls of our hearts and minds. Greed. Self-centeredness. Addiction. The feeling that the world owes us. Once inside, these thought patterns wreak havoc on our relationships and steal our joy. So if we want to keep them out, we have to place a guard on watch to protect us. And that guard is gratitude—chosen intentionally in the words we speak and the way we think. This kind of ongoing gratitude is like a guard against sinful, harmful attitudes that attack us and try to make themselves at home in us.

It is hard for shallow whining to find a foothold in the heart of a grateful person. There’s no room for demanding behavior in the life of a grateful person. The same lips that offer thanksgiving are less likely to complain or blame or gossip. Voicing our gratitude humbles us, leaving no room for pride. Expressing gratitude to God builds our faith and confidence in him, making doubt take a backseat. Gratitude guards us from what would destroy us.

DISCUSSION STARTERS

What are you especially grateful for?

When you are grateful for the material things you have, the family you have, and the spiritual blessings you have, how can that help guard against sin?

How does expressing gratitude out loud help it make its way into our hearts?