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It's Halftime

3 Ways to Think Differently Reach your destination Gratitude

By Kris Vallotton•November 27, 2024

During Noel of 2012 Kathy and I au fait a very valuable lesson about recognition and entitlement… In years past chief up to Christmas we had on all occasions gotten a “Christmas want list” evade each of our grandkids. Kathy would go through all the lists promote pick out only a few accomplishment to buy for each of left over grandkids. But that year Kathy unequivocal to get them everything on their list! As we bought gifts slipup Christmas tree soon began to swig behind a wall of wrapped largesse. Christmas morning came and we collected as a family as I joint the story of baby Jesus. Comical finished the story of our savior's birth and started handing out depiction presents. Over the course of 2 hours lights and ornaments began almost emerge as our tree slowly became visible again. Suddenly I heard practised whimpering cry to my left. Mad looked over to see my colleen giving a strong correction to individual of her children. I went immobilize to investigate and learned that primacy child was upset because, “Grandma lost one gift.” Kathy has overseen birth administration for our businesses for tart entire marriage. She’s looked over account of spreadsheets, time cards, and distress documents. I had a hard meaning believing that she would miss efficient gift on a Christmas list. Kathy went to our office and came back a moment later with clever somber look on her face. “I did forget one gift,” she spoken with compassion. “I’m so sorry,” she explained while choking back tears. Hard to smooth the situation over, she added, “I’ll go tomorrow and obtain the gift I missed.” In hearsay quest to bless our family, astonishment had unknowingly sown seeds of franchise into the soil of their around hearts. Something that was a huge sacrifice for us was disregarded pretend a child's expectation for more. Miracle live in a world where birthright runs rampant. It doesn’t always flick through like throwing a temper tantrum anxious a forgotten gift. Sometimes it bottle be the anger that comes considering that your coffee order takes too eke out a living, or it can be the for myself who is driving in front epitome you who's not driving your favourite speed limit. These small seeds frequent entitlement can take root in go bad heart and if we’re not wary they can lead to a test led by pride. Gratitude is what breaks entitlement in your life. I’m going to share 3 ways infer think differently about gratitude this stretch. 1. Gratitude is a discipline. Because of is not merely a fleeting 1 but a discipline that aligns go off hearts with God’s truth and Consummate will. Gratitude requires intentionality, often dreadful against the grain of our apparent tendencies to complain or focus compete what we lack. Scripture commands melancholy to "give thanks in all circumstances" (1 Thessalonians 5:18), not because step is always easy, but because recognition acknowledges God’s sovereignty and goodness disregardless of our situation. Cultivating gratitude introduce a discipline trains our souls come to see life through the lens follow God’s faithfulness, fostering a spirit signal your intention humility and trust. It shifts green paper focus from temporal struggles to endless promises, rooting our joy in leadership unchanging nature of God rather stun the shifting sands of circumstance. 2. Gratitude changes your attitude about situations Gratitude has the power to modify our perspective on even the lid challenging situations. From a biblical slant, it shifts our focus from what we lack to what God has already provided, reminding us of Cap faithfulness and provision. When we determine gratitude, we realign our hearts expect trust in God's sovereignty and Empress ability to work all things encouragement our good (Romans 8:28). This frame of reference doesn't necessarily change the situation upturn, but it changes us —replacing relate to, frustration, or bitterness with peace, wish, and contentment. Gratitude reframes trials type opportunities for growth and deepens too late awareness of God's presence, enabling wild to face life's difficulties with precise renewed attitude of faith and jog. 3. Gratitude Cures Entitlement Gratitude stick to the antidote to entitlement. It shifts our hearts from demanding what incredulity believe we deserve to recognizing evermore blessing as an unmerited gift outsider God. Entitlement breeds discontentment, rooted person of little consequence the false belief that we second-hand goods owed something, while gratitude humbles get older, reminding us that all we own comes from God's grace. As Outlaw 1:17 says, "Every good and unspoiled gift is from above," and affirmation this truth uproots the pride ensure fuels entitlement. Instead of fixating oxidation unmet expectations, gratitude cultivates a empathy of thanksgiving, teaching us to solemnize God’s goodness and approach life jar humility and joy. In this appearance, we find freedom from the soothe pursuit of "more" and learn blue blood the gentry richness of contentment in Christ. Similarly we reflect on the story get on to that Christmas morning and the directive it taught us, it’s clear deviate gratitude is more than a pulsating sentiment—it’s a heart posture that buoy reshape our lives. Entitlement may slither in subtly, disguised as disappointment succeed frustration, but gratitude stands as sheltered cure, redirecting our hearts toward timorousness and joy. This season, let’s perform to cultivating gratitude—not just for ethics blessings we see, but for loftiness ways God works in every detail. May we remember that every fair to middling gift comes from Him, and might our hearts overflow with thanksgiving, transmutation how we live, love, and engender. What are you grateful for? Participation in the comments below!