“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him.” — Psalm 28:7
A Thankful Heart
How can having a thankful heart be a position of strength? The world tells us that anger fuels the passion we need to overcome and defeat whatever lies in front of us. However, if you derive strength from something negative, you will ultimately find yourself in a seriously weakened state.
I used to be one who lives with the mindset that if someone said I couldn’t do something, I would set out to prove them wrong, which would lead me to fight hard. But the outcome only brought satisfaction if the person acknowledged he or she was wrong. The sad reality is that even if they admitted they were wrong about what they had said of me, it still left my soul empty and unsatisfied.
This faulty thought process functions in the opposite way of the Kingdom that Jesus came and established.
A thankful heart constantly reflects on what the Lord has done and is doing for you. When was the last time you burst out into songs of thanksgiving? To most, the Kingdom of God is foreign, but to the few, it’s a normal way of life. When His Kingdom is our way of life, then we know we are operating from a position of strength!
“But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” — Matthew 6:33
— Brian Hommel, Arizona Diamondbacks chaplain
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