Gratitude

A few days ago I asked the Lord to help me with gratitude!

Gratitude is something I struggle with heavily primarily because when I look around a lot of times my mind is telling me it's not good enough. How can I be grateful when I feel like there is nothing to be grateful for. Isn't that just like the enemy to make you feel so small when in fact you are mighty. I left the prayer there and kept going.

Just yesterday I sat with myself and realized how much I should be grateful for. Instead of seeing everything that was wrong, I was finally able to see everything that was right. Instead of focusing on where I wasn't I was able to see where I was. Instead of considering delay, I considered protection. There are so many things that run across my mind about what I think I should have and where I felt I should be then I realized that if I was supposed to be there God would have allowed it. I even assessed that it isn't my fault.

That's it! I have been upset with myself because I felt like my current position is all my fault, as if that is a bad thing. I had to let myself off the hook. I have done the best I could with all I have and all I know but because in my eyes it wasn't good enough, it didn't mean anything.

Listening to someone read off my accolades or what I have done has made me cringe. In some ways it has felt untrue or like it's not important or doesn't mean anything. Now that takes me to a place of having to analyze what success actually looks like for me. My version of success is not my current position. But that thought process has kept me stuck.

What you have done does mean something. Where you are is progress. Stop allowing yourself to only view things from a glass half empty perspective. This perspective robs you of gratitude. There are so many things to look at and be grateful for. Take a moment and just think of 5 things. Sitting in gratitude has the ability to change your whole outlook on life and influence your emotions.

Silence the inner critic. Silence that little person in you saying she needs more validation. Silence the voices in your head that are pushing you to places God hasn't expected you to be in just yet. Sit in peace and focus on gratitude. It will change your whole life.