Giving Thanks Keeps Ungodly Attitudes in Check

 “Decide to turn blessings into praise: Every blessing you pour out, I’ll turn back to praise. Every blessing I don’t turn back to praise turns into pride.”

 - Craig Groeschel

Ungodly attitudes include envy, pride, entitlement, covetousness and more. Gratitude keeps these all in check. The situation may remain the same, but maintaining a grateful outlook will adjust your attitude. It’s all about perspective.

Author and speaker Craig Groeschel tells a story about his family’s vacation to a beach resort. It rained the whole week and he was not happy about it. He grumbled, whined, and made the whole family miserable as well. On the last day, the sun came out and they raced down to the beach.

The Groeschels have six kids, so each parent took three, and off they went. Craig got distracted for a moment and when he looked around, one of the little ones was missing! They searched all over and in were serious panic when the little guy came over a sand dune, pulling up his pants. After they resumed breathing, they laughed themselves silly and finished up the vacation in great spirits. At first, Craig chose to be miserable because things didn’t go according to plan, but then he chose to be grateful for his family and the time they had together.

Consider the story of the Prodigal Son. All the youngest son wanted to do was get out of his boring life and spend his fortune having fun. But when he realized that the party was over, all he wanted to do was get back to the people he loved. He was grateful to go home and be a slave because he knew his father would treat him fairly. A grateful heart changes our perspective.

So what’s next? What do you do now? How about praising God for all of the amazing gifts He’s given, beginning with His precious Son? Let’s pray together and ask the Lord to rid us of any ingratitude, envy, pride, or entitlement within our hearts.

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Sandra D. Bricker is a best-selling and award-winning author of laugh-out-loud romantic comedy for the Christian market. Her most popular series (that started with Always the Baker Never the Bride) will conclude this spring with Always the Baker FINALLY the Bride, which is now available for pre-order at Amazon.

Sandie leads a team of writers in creating the Living It Out daily Bible study for CedarCreek Church. Today's devotion is based on the Living It Out study on the importance of gratitude. If you enjoyed it, feel free to check out the daily studies by e-mail or audio podcast by clicking HERE.