What's Going Right?

Last week was very difficult for me, professionally and personally. I had several rough nights of sleep, days where I didn't have time to sit down and eat (and had to eat packaged foods in the car or on the run), and news about ongoing health issues that I didn't want to hear. One thing that kept me going in the midst of this was a practice of gratitude. This wasn't my idea, per se. I think it came from the Spirit.

On even the hardest days, I kept having the urge to ask myself, "What's going right?" And somehow, there was always something. In my One Year Bible audio readings Wednesday or Thursday, the commentary said, "Think to Thank. Pause to Pray." Those phrases confirmed the importance of my daily habit of gratitude. 

Sometimes I have to think really hard to find reasons to give thanks. And that's okay. Because sometimes life is really hard. But when I practice gratitude even on those hard days, I entrench a way of thought. I build my gratitude muscles, making my practice easier to sustain in the long run.

Gratitude isn't easy, but it's necessary, especially for me as a Christ-follower. The sermon from 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4 at church on Sunday said just that. I can't expect everyone in the world to give thanks, but because I believe in Jesus as the Savior who died for my sins to give me life, I do ALWAYS have reason for thanksgiving.

Friends, what's going right for you today? Please share below in the comments section so that we can have a virtual gratitude gathering.

I'm linking up with Amanda at Running with Spoons for this Thinking Out Loud post.