Welcome to the March newsletter—Q1 has come to an end (where has the time gone?!) and the theme as I’ve studied The Word over the last few months has been ‘The Faithfulness of God’. So in today’s post I’m going to address our response to God’s faithful—gratitude.

Gratitude (noun) refers to the ability to show thanks for the things you have and the things you’re grateful for. Below are three things about Biblical Gratitude:

1. Focuses on God—minimises the focus on us or our situation. Gratitude helps us sense God’s presence, His personal care and His perfect timing. True thanksgivings is focused on God, because ultimately every good thing comes from Him.

Colossians 1:16-17 reads “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

2. Fosters Humility—cultivates a dependence on God, acknowledging who He is in our lives. Because outside of God, we can do nothing.

James 4:6-10 reads “But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favour to the humble.” Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”

3. Finds us in prayer—thankfulness creates the context to keep our prayers focussed on the One above. Prayer and thanksgiving magnifies God and brings Him into the situation [focusing on the sovereignty that He is in control].

Philippians 4:6-7 reads “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

To end, here are some practical tips to take into Q2 [and beyond] on gratitude:

1. Practice thanksgivings daily—write it down, type it in your ‘notes’ phone app. Acknowledge three things you are gratitude for each day
2. Pray with thanksgiving—for every pray, write down a praise
3. Take communion—do it in remembrance of Christ. With Easter next week, now is the perfect time to reflect and remember what Jesus did for us on the cross. He purchased for us salvation, meaning we have been delivered, healed and saved from the powers of darkness.

March prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for the life you have blessed me with. Thank you for the opportunities that I have been given and for the strength to make the most of them. Thank you for guiding me through difficult times and for giving me the courage to face whatever comes my way. Most of all, thank you for your unconditional love and support, which has seen me through every challenge and kept me going. You are an ever-present source of comfort and hope, and I am deeply grateful for all that you have done for me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
P.S, here is a link to a prayer I encourage you to declare over your life as you step into Q2.