>This week we reached counting 2000 gifts from God’s hand in our family gratitude journal. I have learned so many beautiful things on this journey, things I have been sharing with you every Monday. Today, however, I want to tell you few things I have learned that having a grateful heart won’t do in you or for you.

Some of my favorite things to buy are journals, so I have always loved to look through them in the shops and more than often I buy just one more. But I remember one day in one airport that I found lots of handmade gratitude journals, but no matter how pretty each one of them was I did not buy any. Why? because they were all related to the New Age movement, Yoga, Tao, and things similar to these. I realized that being grateful, that keeping a gratitude journal is not only something that we Christians do.

So, what is the difference? The difference is that we give thanks to GOD because we know that it is from His merciful hand that we receive every single thing we have and do not deserve.

But wait… there is still more. If we dig up a little bit deeper, we’ll see that many  Christians think that through gratitude you can find God. Haven’t you heard  something like this  before? “Count your blessings and you will see God clearly”, or “Having a grateful heart is what will draw you closer to God”  I don’t see in the Scriptures anything that supports this. I do believe, because it is written, that we need to come with a grateful and humble heart before God THROUGH the blood of Christ, through His saving grace. A grateful heart is what God expects from his children but it is not because we are grateful that we can come before God.

Gratitude is not The Way to the Father, only Jesus is!

So, my dear friend, if you keep a gratitude journal, don’t be surprised that the pagans also do that! It will be very profitable to search our hearts and in the light of the Scriptures consider why are we doing this, and let’s be sure that it won’t replace our communion with God through His Word.

Lord, today I am thankful for….

1100.  The beautiful discipline we have learned while keeping a family gratitude journal.

1101. For the wind blowing with might.

1102. For godly women around me.

1103. For the song of the birds.

1104. Sunlight coming through my bedroom window.

1105. Grades, students, teachers and classes.

1106. Planning our summer.

1107. Not knowing (more than often) what is going to happen but resting in God’s Sovereign will.

1108. God’s promises upholding us.

1109. Knowing that our times are in His hands…. is there a better place for them to be?

1110. My little girl’s grateful heart.

1111. My son… always loving much.

1112. Crepes with our friends from church.

1113. My sister’s baby growing in her womb.

1114.  A simple knots that reminds me that the only one who can untie the knots of sin in my heart is God.

1115. Paper work … and all that it means.

1116. Family in Christ in another country.

1117. Thank you, Lord…. for your sanctifying grace today!

What makes you sing for joy today? What are the words of your Grateful song today?