An Attitude of Gratitude

By Carl Kimbro, Fellowship Bible Church, CR Devotional Team, 10/17/2018

“I am a grateful believer in Jesus Christ….” I have said those words to introduce myself in a meeting hundreds of times. They roll of my tongue quickly and easily. They are meant to show how thankful I am that my addiction no longer controls me. These words should be said with conviction and a strong feeling of gratitude. But are they?
Safe places surrounded by fellow strugglers help me in my recovery. They provide a weekly routine that I need. But sometimes that routine becomes more repetition then spiritual action. I have said the words “I am a grateful believer” so many times that I say them without thinking. But recently I heard the testimony of a man who was really grateful and it showed. It made me think about the word "grateful" more than I have in a long time. 
I asked myself:

  • Am I truly grateful? 
  • Do I understand what it means to be grateful? 
  • What does the bible say about being grateful?
In Romans 7:25 Paul writes these words: 

“Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

First and foremost, if we know Jesus Christ as our Higher Power and count on Him as our Savior, we can be confident of the joy with which Paul says these words. In spite of our sinful nature, God reached down in love and provided eternal life through the shed blood of Jesus. Death and hell have no hold on us. Through God’s grace, we are granted eternity with Him in heaven. We are His children and He loves us more than we can ever humanly understand. We are His now and forever. There is no greater reason to be grateful than this!

I want to encourage you to think back to when you found freedom from your hurts, habits, and hang-ups, and then read Psalm 9:1. 

“I will give thanks to you Lord with all my heart; I will tell of your wonderful deeds”. 

Perhaps in your quiet time, you can answer these questions:

  • Does Psalm 9:1 describe your emotions when you found your freedom? 
  • Were you grateful to God for your freedom? 
  • Did you tell anyone about it? 
  • What about now? Are you still grateful? 
  • Do you still say the words “I am a grateful believer in Jesus Christ” with meaning and conviction? 
  • Do you still tell others about it? Or is it just something you say each week as an introduction to who you are and why you are there? 
Let me encourage you with this as a challenge this week. When you introduce yourself to another believer, don’t just merely say the words. Think about the words and what they mean to you in your recovery. Say them with conviction. Say them with meaning. Say them with a grateful heart. Then share your recovery with others. Show them the love and power of God in your life. The next time you share your story and your own attitude of gratitude with someone may also be the day they find hope for their own freedom too.

 Click HERE to listen to "Come Thou Fount" by Chris Rice

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