Gratitude is a biblical principle that involves more than thankfulness. The practice of gratefulness yields joy, hope and wholeness. Let’s take a look at an example from the bible:
On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” Luke 17: 11-19
This portion of scripture, at first glance, doesn’t seem to be about gratitude, yet, at closer look, it is gratitude that makes the leper whole.
Lepers were not allowed to be close the rest of the population. In these verses, leprosy refers to any condition of the skin. I imagine it could have been anything that could be seen by the human eye to affect the skin.
All of this population were outcasts. They were poor. They were disenfranchised. They were considered and treated as less than human. From a distance they shouted for mercy. They wanted to be healed.
God Requires Action
Despite the blessings He may bestow on us, God always requires us to take action.
In this scripture the action taken by Jesus was very simple. He required no dipping or dunking (John 9:7). He didn’t tell them to get up or take their beds (John 5:8). Jesus didn’t even spit in the dirt (John 9:6). Jesus sent them on their way to be examined and approved by the priests so they could return to society. Jesus told them to go. In order to be healed they had to GO to the priests so the healing could be validated and they could enter the community again.
The scripture says as they went they were cleansed. They were made clean from the skin diseases that afflicted them. It was a big deal. As they walked their skin cleared. It was made fresh and clean and new. Their simple action was to walk to the priests. Jesus had mercy. He instructed them to go. They went. They were healed. He required nothing more from them.
Jesus Has More to Give Us Than Clear Skin
One of the men returned to thank Jesus. He was a Samaritan. The Samaritans and Jews were at odds. Jewish people saw the Samaritans as outsiders. They were not truly included in Jewish society. Because of this Samaritans were careful to keep their space. Yet, this man, in his gratitude approached a man who is known to be a Jewish Rabbi. This man, in his gratitude, ignored what he was “supposed” to do. He was motivated by a heart overwhelmed with thankfulness.
Jesus again gave attention to this man. See, in these verses the man was healed from the sickness which afflicted him. He was healed physically. His body was restored to health. The last few lines of what Jesus says reveals the impact a grateful heart can have on a situation.
Jesus points out that this man is the only one who returned to praise God. I don’t think it’s because Jesus is shocked, offended or even surprised. Personally, I think it’s because Jesus had so much more to give these outcasts than just clear skin. The Samaritan’s act of gratitude by returning to praise God brought him complete wholeness.
The Healing Power of Gratitude
The man’s act of gratitude is what made him well. Jesus said, “your faith has made you well.” The healed man’s recognition and gratitude of the grace and power of Jesus made him whole. Not just healed but whole, and complete.
It’s important to recognize Jesus still healed the afflicted who didn’t return to praise God for their healing. He didn’t withdraw that miracle from them. But the man who praised God, the man who was thankful was made whole. I imagine he was filled with joy and danced away telling everyone what Jesus did for him.
How much more will our hearts be healed and filled when we offer thanksgiving prayers to God?
Karen Lindwall-Bourg is the President of the {Inter} National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs [est. May 2010] and the new President of the International Christian Mompreneur Network [est. July 2010], both at http://nacwe.org . She and the NACWE Operations and Leadership Teams work diligently to provide
· Community
· Networking
· Education
· Missions
opportunities to Christian Women Entrepreneurs, Mompreneurs and Nanapreneurs alike all over the world!
Our Core Values are
· Community – we value Connection, Collaboration and Contribution
· Networking – we value Nurture, New relationships and New and innovative offers
· Education – we value Encouragement, Excellence and Expressiveness, and
· Missions – we value Ministry and Making a difference
Karen is wife to Fred, Mommy to 6 kids and 5 in-loves, Nana to “going-on” 12 grandchildren, and treat provider deluxe for a herd of Great Pyrenees who protect their north TX ranch! She is an entrepreneur coach, author, publisher, retreat hostess and more! Learn more about Mastermind groups and “Celebration” coaching with Karen at http://karenbourg.com
Three Principles for Practicing Biblical Gratitude
Gratitude is a buzzword.
Oprah Winfrey made the gratitude journal popular. Even Instagram carries the on trend hashtag #blessed. A quick search using the #blessed yields everything from a mom’s gratitude for a basket load of unmatched socks to an underwear model’s love for her fans to a hiker’s view of a mountain. The posts seem sincere in the appreciation expressed for the abundance, but toward whom are these posters appreciative?
When you consider your blessings, where is your gratitude directed?
The dictionary defines gratitude as: the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. Being grateful is a feeling or the act of showing appreciation for kindness.
Biblical Gratitude During Happy Times
There are many people on social media recognizing the abundance of their lives, families, friends and environment. I appreciate that! Even if it is a trending topic or just a fad, it makes them aware of their fortunate circumstances, whatever they may be. As a believer, I have been instructed in a certain way of doing things. One of those is to clearly recognize and be specific about my Source.
I am blessed. I am grateful. I am thankful. More specifically, I am blessed beyond measure by the Holy One, Adonai.
I am grateful to Jesus Christ for the sacrifice He made so I could live this life more abundantly. I am thankful for the good times and the bad times in my life because every moment gives the opportunity to build my faith and rely on God.
Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
These verses are key. In verse 18, it says that no matter what happens, I should always be thankful. This is God’s will for Christians. Being thankful in all things, no matter what happens is the key to always being joyful and blessed.
Gratitude in Hard Times
However, let’s consider real life for a moment. We all have very low days. Life happens to us and circumstances seem overwhelming. It feels bad. It’s hard to think of the silver lining when you are heartbroken and feel like your life is falling apart. So, instead of being thankful in those moments, we worry. Guess what? The Bible helps us with that too.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
So in ALL moments, you are instructed to always be thankful. If worry has overcome you because, well, life is hard, then pray.
When we put it together, biblical gratitude is expressed by always being thankful no matter what happens, always praying (with thanksgiving). It is the act of constant thankfulness and constant prayer which gives you the strength to always be joyful.
Living Biblical Gratitude Daily
Biblical gratitude is simple but not always easy. Keep these 3 guiding principles in mind:
Don’t worry, instead pray (with thankfulness) about EVERYTHING.
Be thankful NO MATTER WHAT.
ALWAYS be joyful.
We are instructed on how to be grateful. Psalm 95:2 says, “Let us come before Him with thanksgiving. Let us sing Him psalms of praise.” Sing praises! Sing praises of thanks.
In another Psalm we are to, “Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim His greatness. Let the whole world know what He has done.(105:9)” Tell people. Let people in your life know what the Lord has done. This is a way to practice gratitude. You also overcome by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony. (Revelation 12:11) Telling the whole world what the Lord has done for you is also a way to build your faith and joy.
During this season of giving and receiving, remember what it means to be truly thankful.
Karen Lindwall-Bourg is the President of the {Inter} National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs [est. May 2010] and the new President of the International Christian Mompreneur Network [est. July 2010], both at http://nacwe.org . She and the NACWE Operations and Leadership Teams work diligently to provide
· Community
· Networking
· Education
· Missions
opportunities to Christian Women Entrepreneurs, Mompreneurs and Nanapreneurs alike all over the world!
Our Core Values are
· Community – we value Connection, Collaboration and Contribution
· Networking – we value Nurture, New relationships and New and innovative offers
· Education – we value Encouragement, Excellence and Expressiveness, and
· Missions – we value Ministry and Making a difference
Karen is wife to Fred, Mommy to 6 kids and 5 in-loves, Nana to “going-on” 12 grandchildren, and treat provider deluxe for a herd of Great Pyrenees who protect their north TX ranch! She is an entrepreneur coach, author, publisher, retreat hostess and more! Learn more about Mastermind groups and “Celebration” coaching with Karen at http://karenbourg.com
As a firm foundations leader and entrepreneur in the business world you set the tone. You set the atmosphere of the people you do business with. Even when you are a one person operation you can still have a company culture.
Your role as a Leader
As individuals representing Christ in our business interactions, whether we do it covertly or overtly we are to do all of our work as if we are doing it directly for the Lord. This should be the foundational motivation for everything we do.
When you set Jesus as the cornerstone of your business, He becomes the example. He becomes the reference point. He becomes the standard!
What is a Cornerstone?
The cornerstone is the first stone laid on the foundation of a building. It is the first stone in the first layer of mason work. It is the reference point for all other stones laid. When the cornerstone is not laid right it will reduce the integrity of the entire structure.
Jesus should be the cornerstone of the culture of your company. Jesus is the reference point of all your behavior when it comes to developing, practicing and establishing the culture of your company.
Setting the Tone
As a leader you set the tone for your company and business interactions. Even when you are not the one in charge, you can still change the “temperature in the room” with the way you respond to those with whom you interact.
Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12
Always strive to show the example of Jesus in your speech and conduct. You will not fail if you err on the side of love, gentleness and forgiveness in your business dealings. Remain an upright partner to all through purity of speech and in every deed by being ethical and honest.
Karen Lindwall-Bourg is the President of the {Inter} National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs [est. May 2010] and the new President of the International Christian Mompreneur Network [est. July 2010], both at http://nacwe.org . She and the NACWE Operations and Leadership Teams work diligently to provide
· Community
· Networking
· Education
· Missions
opportunities to Christian Women Entrepreneurs, Mompreneurs and Nanapreneurs alike all over the world!
Our Core Values are
· Community – we value Connection, Collaboration and Contribution
· Networking – we value Nurture, New relationships and New and innovative offers
· Education – we value Encouragement, Excellence and Expressiveness, and
· Missions – we value Ministry and Making a difference
Karen is wife to Fred, Mommy to 6 kids and 5 in-loves, Nana to “going-on” 12 grandchildren, and treat provider deluxe for a herd of Great Pyrenees who protect their north TX ranch! She is an entrepreneur coach, author, publisher, retreat hostess and more! Learn more about Mastermind groups and “Celebration” coaching with Karen at http://karenbourg.com
C12 Founder, Buck Jacobs, has seen God do amazing things in this growing company. His first hour of the day is spent reflecting on the blessings of the last 24 hours and asking God for direction.
Buck’s suggestions for us include:
Step 1 – Make this hour non-negotiable
Step 2 – Build intimacy with the Lord by
Starting with God’s word
Reading something to help you grow spiritually
Reading something to help you grow professionally
Praying for others
Step 3 – Journal
Keep a prayer list in your journal and record God’s words and His answers.
Keep a record by writing a letter to God
Count your blessings and write them down
Ask God questions and listen for His answers
Abide in God’s word and stay connected to Him
Record your thoughts – Tell God how you feel, that you love Him, what you have learned, and confess and receive His forgiveness
Building a firm foundation under your house or your bridge is simply an analogy for building a life on a firm foundation. You are building a life and the foundation you choose is the most important feature of your life.
Diving into Devotions
Firm Foundations under your earthly house:
Building your spiritual house on the rock foundation of God’s word.
We built our house on top of the hill with a firm foundation and moved into it in January 1998. We are “city mice”, moved to the country, so I must admit we’re still learning how to do things out here!
One of the first things we learned was that the foundation of our house and of our bridge – for, of course, I absolutely had to have the house built across a big creek and up a huge hill – must be securely built on a rock foundation!
In another series, I talk about cornerstones of our houses and that Christ is our cornerstone. Here I’ll tell you all about building the house! Today let’s talk about building this bridge.
Firm Foundations under your bridge:
The families that had owned this property for 300 years, assured us that there was absolutely no way we would be successful building a bridge across this creek. When the “rain fell, and the floods came, and the wind blew…” any bridge that they had ever attempted to build over various sizes and shapes of concrete culverts, were smashed to smithereens! They insisted on taking us for a walk up and down this creek to show us the leftover pieces of concrete along the floor and walls of this creek.
Dear husband Fred, being the engineer and “outside the box thinker” that he is, found an old tank or railroad car without end caps and decided that would do! Our foundation and road construction crew somehow got that thing on the back of a trailer and warned me that once they rolled it off of the trailer and it rolled down into the creek, I had to be content that was exactly where God intended my bridge to be built!
I don’t believe that railroad car has moved a single inch in the 18 years we’ve been here, in spite of torrential rains and whirlpool waters that have flowed through it and over it across the years! I praise God for this firm foundation under our bridge so that I can drive back-and-forth to the beautiful house we built here!
Our Railroad Car Bridge
Firm Foundations under your spiritual house:
Building a firm foundation under your house or your bridge is simply an analogy for building a life on a firm foundation. You are building a life and the foundation you choose is the most important feature of your life.
Matthew 7:24-27 (ESV) Build Your House on the Rock
24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
Jesus instructs us to build our life on a strong foundation by obeying His words, hearing His words, and acting obediently on them.
This month while you hear His words and listen to His teachings, follow this pattern of study and ask the Lord to secure a firm foundation for your life.
If Christ is your foundation stone, build your life on his teachings. Use a stone of remembrance to signify your relationship with Christ and your commitment to obey him wholeheartedly!
Is there a foundation stone on shifting sands that needs to be replaced on the rock of God’s Word?
Karen Lindwall-Bourg is the President of the {Inter} National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs [est. May 2010] and the new President of the International Christian Mompreneur Network [est. July 2010], both at http://nacwe.org . She and the NACWE Operations and Leadership Teams work diligently to provide
· Community
· Networking
· Education
· Missions
opportunities to Christian Women Entrepreneurs, Mompreneurs and Nanapreneurs alike all over the world!
Our Core Values are
· Community – we value Connection, Collaboration and Contribution
· Networking – we value Nurture, New relationships and New and innovative offers
· Education – we value Encouragement, Excellence and Expressiveness, and
· Missions – we value Ministry and Making a difference
Karen is wife to Fred, Mommy to 6 kids and 5 in-loves, Nana to “going-on” 12 grandchildren, and treat provider deluxe for a herd of Great Pyrenees who protect their north TX ranch! She is an entrepreneur coach, author, publisher, retreat hostess and more! Learn more about Mastermind groups and “Celebration” coaching with Karen at http://karenbourg.com
