Choose gratitude!

                                A little food for (thankful) weekend thought--
        "All your works shall give thanks to You, O Lord, and all your saints shall bless You!  They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom, and tell of your power, to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.  Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations.  The Lord is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.  The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.  The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food in due season.  You open your hand; You satisfy the desire of every living thing.  The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works.  The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth." (Ps.145:10-18)
        The Psalms provide an abundant wealth of praise material.  And it's interesting how often a number of the Psalms begin with discouragement. frustration, or fear.  Yet by the end of those Psalms, the writer--who has fixed his gaze upon the Lord--finds renewed strength, courage, and hope.  They might start with worry but they finish with worship.
       Why is that?  Well, because we cannot worry and worship at the same time--one will always displace the other.  We either choose to look to ourselves, wringing our hands in worry or we choose to look to the Lord, praising Him for His greatness and faithfulness.
       Nor can we experience fear and faith in the same moment.  We might feel fear, but when we choose by faith to look to Jesus and kept our gaze locked upon Him, that faith will dispel our fear.
       Same thing for thankfulness--in any given circumstance, we have the choice of grumbling or gratitude.  Will we choose to be grateful for that which God has chosen to give...or withhold?  Or will grumble about what we're stuck with...or lack?
       Because here's the thing: it's always a choice.  Oh might we choose wisely.
       I loved these words on gratitude: "A thankful heart is one of the primary identifying characteristics of a believer.  It stands in stark contrast to pride, selfishness, and worry.  And it helps fortify the believer's trust in the Lord and reliance of His provision, even in the toughest times.  No matter how choppy the seas become, a believer's heart is buoyed by constant praise and gratefulness to the Lord."  (John McArthur)
        "I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder."  (G.K. Chesterton)
       One more: "Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out."  (John Wooden)
        We may not have a choice over our circumstances, but we always have the choice as to how we'll respond.  No matter what's going on in our lives today, let's choose wisely and well--choose to give thanks to God.
        To God be the glory.