Gratitude As A Weapon

At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves. 2 Chronicles 20:22

Bad news, again?  What is your breaking point?  Everybody has one.  If you’re not in touch with yours, don’t worry.  Life can help you find it.   And when it does, pay close attention to your response.  I’ve noticed that my natural response to bad news is anything but thankfulness, yet it never helps the situation.  I decided to try something new.

If you are pressed on all sides, heartbroken with disappointment, or simply exhausted with “believe it, achieve it”, having an “attitude of gratitude” is a nauseating notion, reserved for people who have never walked in your shoes.

After all, if grat·i·tude  [grat-i-tood, -tyood] noun is “the quality or feeling of being grateful or thankful” why would I use it when I am not?  It is the most unnatural response to a negative event, and yet the most supernatural.

In Psalm 8:2 we learn that “God has ordained praise from infants and children to silence the foe and the avenger.”  We also know that when the Israelites went to war the LORD set ambushes against their enemies “as they began to sing and praise.”  They defeated their enemy by praising God.

If gratitude is a powerful weapon, would you pick it up?

When we thank God for who He is and what He has done, our attention is refocused on the Author of Life, the One who gave His life, so that we could believe in Him, be freed of the burden of our sins and be assured of eternity in Heaven.  He also meets our every need between now and then.  It’s easy to forget that part when life is not going as we hoped.

Consider this.  God knew about your bad news before it arrived, which means he can also see how He works it out for your good and His glory.

Your heart may be hurting over bad news, but His is longing for relationship with you.  He hoped that you would turn to Him first before you let disappointment manifest into reality.

If we know that God’s ways are higher than our ways and he works all things out for those who love him, we should place our requests before him with thanksgiving in advance for what we know only He can accomplish. What is impossible with man is possible with God.

An ungrateful heart says to God, “I don’t trust you.”

A grateful heart says “You’re more than enough.”

Weapons are vehicles of change. They defend and protect and evoke freedom.  If you are at a breaking point, pick up your weapon of praise and break the cycle of defeat. Defend and protect your rights as a Daughter of the King and free yourself from you.

Next time you get bad news, try responding with a courageous heart of gratitude. ~ Brandi

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