Remain in an Attitude of Gratitude

 “You must depend on Christ only, drawing life and strength from him. Just as you were taught the truth, continue to grow stronger in your understanding of it. And never stop giving thanks to God.” – Colossians 2:7 (ERV)

 

At the end of November, I invited you to join me in an experiment where our aim is to give thanks for a period of ninety days. Two weeks in, I trust that you’ve remembered to remain in an attitude of gratitude. If not, that’s okay, please do not beat yourself up, simply jump back into thankfulness mode and move forward.

Quite a bit has been happening over these last two weeks; things that have the potential to send me or anyone into a chasm of despair. So, to avoid that fate, I went into thankful overdrive and Spirit reminded me of a situation I’d gone through some years ago.

Please allow me to share with you what happened at that time.

It was September 2016, like now, I had been purposely giving thanks every day. “The Gratitude Experiment 2016”. One day I became aware that I was feeling different – a definite change had taken place. After a quizzical moment or two, it dawned on me that I was actually in a much better mood than I’d been before I started my gratitude experiment. “Wow…”, I thought with a smile, “…this feels good, kind of light, as if something’s lifting off of me.” And with that, my smile broadened to one of those awkward toothy grins, which automatically seem to manifest upon your unsuspecting face when you realize that you’ve made a new discovery.

There was no stopping me now!

God knew what was headed my way.

Not a day later, I was faced with a challenge. Without burdening you with too many details, there was a piece of equipment that I desperately needed for my business so, in anticipation of receiving a cheque for work done a month before, I made a small downpayment. Not too long after that, like a few moments later that day, I received a call letting me know that there was a “problem” with the cheque; I’d have to keep calling to see when it would be ready. The balance I owed on the equipment was due the following day, but the amount I was owed, was nowhere in sight. What a dilemma!

Feeling a lot defeated, I made the decision to remain in an attitude of gratitude. Immediately I began thanking God for working all things together for my good and His glory, for being my strength, for providing for me in every area of my life, for the lessons to be learnt in this situation, for being the only Source of all that I need, for this and for that. I just went full throttle into thanking Him.

Any thoughts of defeat soon dissipated, and I knew that no matter what, God is still in control.

The next day was the day that I was required to pay off for the equipment. I called back to enquire about the cheque and was told that it was ready for me to collect. However, when I got there, I was then told that due to “cash flow problems” they could pay only a portion of the amount. “Thank you” was my response, as I took the envelope from a young woman with an apologetic look upon her face.

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” – Psalm 73:26 (NIV)

I may have received only a quarter portion from man but God is my full portion forever – in Him is everything that I ever need. I peered into the envelope and I thanked God for the little that I could see and the more than enough that I could not see.

To cut an already long story short, I paid for the equipment, the balance due in full on the day that it was due. God, through an unexpected way, made it possible. Through the spirit of generosity instilled into the manager, I received a huge discount. The portion I was paid was the portion I needed after that tremendous discount.

Under the aforementioned circumstances, it would have been really easy for me to dwell on the lack that was before me, on what was said to me, on the deadline to pay the balance due, on what appeared to be sure defeat, on the brokenness in spirit.

So many things were available for me to latch on to. I could have begun a serious complaining and murmuring session, with intermittent bawling, instead, I remained in an attitude of gratitude, being thankful in this circumstance, and God worked it out.

Beloved, remain grateful despite what you may be feeling, thinking, seeing and hearing. Do not place any confidence in your natural senses, you know the truth, so stay in the will of God and keep on giving thanks. To know God’s will but not do it, is more tragic than if you never knew His will to begin with (see John 6:38 and 2 Pet. 2:21).

Amen†

 

Shelley Johnson © 2016 revisited December 11, 2025