Overflow with Gratitude

Feeling gratitude is the starting point for feeling positive, feeling joy, improving relationships and for attracting abundance.

“Whoever has (gratitude) will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have (gratitude), even what they have will be taken from them.” Mathew 13: 12 | (നന്ദി) ഉള്ളവനു നല്‍കപ്പെടും. അവനു സമൃദ്ധിയുണ്ടാവുകയും ചെയ്യും. ഇല്ലാത്തവനില്‍ നിന്ന് ഉള്ളതു പോലും എടുക്കപ്പെടും.

 To feel gratitude, count your blessings and give thanks

1. Think of 3-5 things in your work/personal life you are grateful for.
2. Think of the people you love. Be grateful for the people in your life (can you imagine a life without them?)
3. Remember some moments of joy; try to bring back that exact feeling of experiencing those moments of pure gratitude and joy.
4. Be grateful for today; be grateful for the good things happened in the last few days.

Thank God for all the blessings. Thank people in your life for their love and support.

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.” Psalms 136:1 | കര്‍ത്താവിനു നന്ദി പറയുവിന്‍; അവിടുന്നു നല്ലവനാണ്.
“Give thanks in all circumstances.“ 1 Thessalonians 5:18 | എല്ലാക്കാര്യങ്ങളിലും നന്ദി പ്രകാശിപ്പിക്കുവിന്‍.

Maintain a Gratitude Journal

Write down 3 to 8 things every day that you are grateful for.

• Thank God for ordinary graces or provision he’s given.
• Thank God for people in your life or situations he’s resolved.
• Thank God for astonishing ways he’s worked or the beauty of creation.
• Thank God for what he’s done, what he’s doing or what he WILL do.
• Thank God for answered prayers you’ve prayed for others.
• Thank God for who he is.

You may use the following checklist to feel gratitude in various areas of your life. Be grateful if you have some of the following blessings.

• Health: physical, mental, emotional – think of thousands of less fortunate people around you, going through illness and suffering, living in poverty, and so on; aren’t you better off than them? Thank God for your ability to see, hear, feel, smell, taste; ability to move, connect, travel, work, contribute, ..
• Wealth: money, house, assets, appliances, gadgets, comforts, food, time, services you receive daily, quality life, entertainment, ..
• Career: Job, education, skills, achievements, ..
• Family: spouse, children, parents, siblings, relatives, home, family trips, fun times, ..
• Friends: Friends, clients, co-workers, community friends, people providing services, teachers/mentors, ..
• Spiritual: God’s loving care and protection, prayers that have been answered, your community, spiritual inputs you received. Blessings from God such as talents, intelligence, knowledge, beauty; sufferings that gave new insights and made you closer to God. Instances you were shown compassion, empathy, and forgiveness. Thank God for what you are today.
• Universe/nature: Thank God for so many resources such as air, water, electricity, Sun, Earth, Moon, mountains, rivers, beach, greenery, gardens, ice clad mountains, ocean, good weather; locality, native place, country

Tips to develop gratitude mindset

• Make a list of all the things you are grateful for (see if you can list at least 100 things to be grateful for)
• To improve any day immediately, say and feel “Thank you” seven times in a row. Thank you Jesus. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
• Today, be grateful. “Be grateful for your favorite music, for movies that make you feel good, for your phone that connects you with people, for your computer, and for the electricity that lights up your life. Be grateful for air travel that flies you everywhere. Be grateful for the roads and traffic lights that keep the traffic in order. Be grateful to those who built our bridges. Be grateful for your pet, for your child, for your loved ones, for your eyes that enable you to read this. Be grateful for your imagination. Be grateful that you can think. Be grateful that you can speak. Be grateful that you can laugh and smile. Be grateful that you can breathe. Be grateful that you are alive! Be grateful that you are You!” (from ‘The Secret Daily Teachings’ by Rhonda Byrne)
• Begin your day by feeling grateful. Make it a practice to thank God in the morning – thank Him even before you touch your feet on the floor. Be grateful for the small-small things in your life.
• Every night before you fall asleep, replay in your mind the good moments of the day, and give heartfelt thanks for each one of them.

How to develop deep gratitude

To develop deep gratitude, you need to thank not only ‘for’ the blessings from God or gifts from people, but ‘in’ all circumstances.

“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV) | എല്ലാക്കാര്യങ്ങളിലും നന്ദി പ്രകാശിപ്പിക്കുവിന്‍. ഇതാണ് യേശുക്രിസ്തുവില്‍ നിങ്ങളെ സംബന്ധിച്ചുള്ള ദൈവഹിതം.

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights. ”Habakkuk 3:17-19

അത്തിവൃക്ഷം പൂക്കുന്നില്ലെങ്കിലും, മുന്തിരിയില്‍ ഫലങ്ങളില്ലെങ്കിലും, ഒലിവുമരത്തില്‍ കായ്കള്‍ ഇല്ലാതായാലും വയലുകളില്‍ ധാന്യം വിളയുന്നില്ലെങ്കിലും ആട്ടിന്‍കൂട്ടം ആലയില്‍ അറ്റുപോയാലും കന്നുകാലികള്‍ തൊഴുത്തില്‍ ഇല്ലാതായാലും ഞാന്‍ കര്‍ത്താവില്‍ ആനന്ദിക്കും. എന്‍റെ രക്ഷകനായ ദൈവത്തില്‍ ഞാന്‍ സന്തോഷിക്കും. (ഹബക്കുക്ക് 3:17-18)

When we can feel gratitude even in adverse situations, that is a demonstration of our faith in God and we know that God can convert every adverse situation or suffering into great overall good for us. “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor 12:9)

Make it a habit to thank, appreciate, compliment, and encourage people.

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 | അതിനാല്‍ നിങ്ങള്‍ ഇപ്പോള്‍ ചെയ്യുന്നതു പോലെ തന്നെ തമ്മില്‍ത്തമ്മില്‍ ആശ്വസിപ്പിക്കുകയും പരസ്പരോന്നമനത്തിനു വേണ്ടി യത്‌നിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുവിന്‍.

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