I Choose Gratitude: A 5-Day Plan on Being Grateful When Life Is ToughSample

Day 5: The Heart of Gratitude

It’s 4:10 a.m., and I am admiring a tiny human who is an answered prayer and thanking God for His goodness. Rewind with me to yesterday at 5:00 a.m., and you will find me frustrated with the responsibility of the same answered prayer. So, I asked myself, “What was the difference in 24 hours?” The answer: the posture of my heart made the difference, and it impacted my thoughts!

Proverbs 4:23 tells us, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. (NLT)” Another translation says the “issues of life spring from our heart.” This verse warns us that our hearts are an incubator of our reality- whatever dwells in our hearts will grow in our lives. So, let’s ensure love, forgiveness, joy, and gratitude dwell in our hearts as we navigate each day.

Let’s pray:

Father, thank you. Thank you for life, your love, and for drawing us to you in every season. I pray for the heart of the person reading this prayer - I ask that you strengthen and keep them in this season. Reroute every wayward thought and bring it subject to your authority. Shift our hearts to a stance of gratitude and remind us that every day is a gift from you. I ask that you buff the calloused edges of our hearts and remove unrighteous expectations. May every moment of every day be a reminder of your love and grace. In Jesus name, amen.

Written by Imani Brown