"Give Thanks for Everything" - COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

As a Christian you realize that Satan would like you to be downhearted and demoralized by the hardships you face in these last days. He would love it if you adopted a negative, complaining spirit. Such a spirit could  make you less effective as a bearer of good news. Actually, gratitude goes hand in hand withe fruitage of God's spirit, including joy  over the good that God has given you and faith in all his promises.

Being one of Jehovah's people, you probably agree with what has been said in this article about gratitude. Still, you realize that a grateful, optimistic  outlook does not come naturally. Do not let that discourage you, though.  You can develop and maintain a grateful outlook. How?  Take time each day to think about some aspects of your life for which you can be grateful.  The more you do that, the more natural the tendency to be grateful will become.  That will make you far happier than are those who focus on life's difficulties. Dwell on the good things that God and others do that uplift you, that will give you pleasure. You might even start a journal. In it, you can record  two or three things that make you feel grateful that day.

Some who have studied the matter say that "regular practice of gratitude can change the way our brain neutrons fire into more positive automatic patterns."  A grateful person is a happier person.  So count your blessings, savor your positive experiences  in life, practice gratitude!  Rather good things for granted, "give thanks to Jehovah, for he is good."  Yes, "give thanks for everything." - 1 CHRONICLES 16:34; 1 THESSALONIANS 5:18.

Next time: Do You Remember?

From the jw.org publications