Gratitude changed my life. I’m not kidding. I lost my hallelujah, but praise brought me new life.
In my late 20s, I battled depression on and off. I can’t remember where I got the idea to begin a practice of gratitude, but, once I made it a daily practice, I began to experience a difference in my life. Before long, my thought life began turning around, a natural byproduct of giving God my hallelujah.
Being grateful for the most basic of things in my life gave me an incredibly different vantage point.
Every night before I went to bed, I spent purposeful time with God reviewing my day. I then listed three to five things I was thankful for. I gave Him thanks for material things, emotions, experiences, relationships, and small things like fuzzy socks on a cold day or a hot cup of cocoa with tiny marshmallows.
Seeing the details of my life with appreciation turned something on inside me. A light, the Light. His intimacy and attentiveness were everywhere.
I experienced such a change that I began to ask my young children what they were thankful for in their day. They’d share things like a favorite toy, a friend, or a hug. While insignificant to some, I discovered so many things of value are found in the details.
Reflecting on things I am thankful for magnifies the goodness and kindness of God. Who am I that the Sovereign King would show me His favor? How is it that the eternal One would extend His generous hand to me? More importantly, how will I ever repay Him?
There is no way to repay Him in the form of repayment we understand. He does not want material things or gestures, eloquent words or actions. He simply wants me.
I often miss that truth, and I find myself doing for Him versus being with Him. It can be difficult to wrap my mind around the fact that my holy, blameless, righteous God simply wants my heart. To be one with me. To have the opportunity to shower me with His affection. For me to seek Him out and spend time with Him. To give Him my whole heart.
I hope you grasp how precious your heart is, as it’s the object of God’s affection and Satan’s scorn. Evil fights for your heart and tries everything in its playbook to destroy it, but God waits patiently for you to choose to give it to Him. He’s kind and tender, merciful and full of grace for us. When we do trust Him with our hearts, He redeems everything evil ever tarnished it with.
I want to share with you Brandon Lake’s song, “Gratitude,” from his House of Miracles album, which was released in September 2020. As Brandon says, we don’t have anything of worth to give a Sovereign God, but we can offer God a heart that cries hallelujah … and it’s the perfect gift for this King.
Take a deep breath and relax into this song. Let’s give God our hearts of gratitude.
Brandon Lake, Gratitude (House of Miracles album)
Music Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA83MufOCoA
Lyrics: https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=lyrics+to+Gratitude+Brandon+Lake&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
All my words fall short
I got nothing new
How could I express
All my gratitude?
I could sing these songs
As I often do
But every song must end
And You never do
So I throw up my hands
And praise You again and again
‘Cause all that I have is a hallelujah
Hallelujah
And I know it’s not much
But I’ve nothing else fit for a King
Except for a heart singing hallelujah
Hallelujah
I’ve got one response
I’ve got just one move
With my arm stretched wide
I will worship You
So I throw up my hands
And praise You again and again
‘Cause all that I have is a hallelujah
Hallelujah
And I know it’s not much
But I’ve nothing else fit for a King
Except for a heart singing hallelujah
Hallelujah
So come on, my soul
Oh, don’t you get shy on me
Lift up your song
‘Cause you’ve got a lion inside of those lungs
Get up and praise the Lord
Oh come on, my soul
Oh, don’t you get shy on me
Lift up your song
‘Cause you’ve got a lion inside of those lungs
Get up and praise the Lord
Come on, my soul
Oh, don’t you get shy on me
Lift up your song
‘Cause you’ve got a lion inside of those lungs
Get up and praise the Lord, hey
Praise the Lord
Praise the Lord
Praise the Lord
So I throw up my hands
Praise You again and again
‘Cause all that I have is a hallelujah
Hallelujah
And I know it’s not much
But I’ve nothing else fit for a King
Except for a heart singing hallelujah
Hallelujah
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Benjamin William Hastings / Michael Brandon Lake / Dante Bowe
Live Loved and Thrive!
For more on this topic: https://alifeofthrive.com/2021/01/26/confident/
Self-reflection
These questions are in no way a substitute for healthcare professionals or any level of professional counseling. I’m an advocate for taking care of oneself mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. These questions reflect my heart, NOT my profession.
This questionnaire is an opportunity to journal your thoughts and feelings. It can serve as a launching pad on which to evaluate your heart condition as you understand it. My hope is that you will take the truths you discover about yourself and hold them up to the Light to evaluate them against who God says you are.
• Do you have a gratitude journal or practice gratitude with God?
• What are three things you’re thankful for today?
• Do you have quiet time set aside for God?
• What is something you enjoy about your quiet time with God?
• Look up some scriptures about the value God places on the heart and write them down.
• After reading the scriptures you chose, why do you think God wants your heart?
Take Action
Use God’s Word to take control over the traumas in your life. Whenever you feel terrorized by your thoughts take them captive by replacing them with the truth of God’s promises in His Word.
Here is a scripture for you to print, cut and carry with you and/or post in places where you will see it often. Ground yourself in God’s truths not Satan’s attacks. Encourage your heart and mind every time you are reminded of His great love for YOU!
Here is what God’s Word says about His unfailing, relentless, unending love for you:
“As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.” (Proverbs 27:19 NIV)
Translation: Who we are is stored up in the heart, and we reveal ourselves when we open our mouths.
