“Gratitude allows us to disconnect discouragement at the power source by choosing to call God good in spite of our situation.”

A thought by Steven Furtick, (2014-02-11) from his book, Crash the Chatterbox: Hearing God's Voice Above All Others (Kindle Locations 3113-3114). The Doubleday Religious Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

There are so many qualities of God that make such a difference if we focus on them especially in difficult times and I have found focusing on God’s goodness is especially uplifting. I mean everything that happens to the committed Christian must go through God’s love and His goodness.

Let’s say that the Enemy throws something at us to hurt us which is his way of getting back at God whom he hates. Now my kids getting hurt gets at me more than if I am hurt. But when that happens as it goes through God’s love and His goodness the purpose is changed from my harm to my good. The circumstance may also change, God can do that but He can also change the purpose even if the circumstance doesn’t change.

Every day I strive to start my day with acknowledging the fact that all that is going to happen to me must go through a good God. And I am so thankful for that. And that starts my day right. “Because, in actuality,” as Steven says, “gratitude is not based on how good my situation is. It’s based on how good my situation seems to me.” It is all about our focus. Is it on me and how I don’t deserve this because of how good I am or on the fact that God is good and I can trust Him?

So where is your focus today?

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