Phil. 4:6-7 Be anxious for nothing, 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 minds through Christ Jesus.
Thankfulness. It's almost entirely absent in our modern, hectic lives. It's the missing ingredient necessary for a full, productive life. Our society is full of unthankful, ungrateful people. People in America live in one of the most properous nations in the world. Even our poor enjoy a much higher standard of living than the majority of people living in third-world nations. We've enjoyed a high standard of living for so long that the slightest discomfort causes us to grow impatient with God.
Unthankfulness can be directly linked to self-centeredness. When all of your attention is on yourself, you forget God's goodness and you turn a blind eye toward the needy around you. It's a self-defeating cycle that leads to depression. It's important to get your eyes off yourself and on God. We must become more sensitive to the needs of the world around us.
What you focus on becomes magnified. When you focus on problems, they become bigger. When you focus on God's provision by being thankful, your problems shrink and God becomes bigger (in your eyes). God is all-knowing and all-powerful, but you limit His intervention in your life when you fail to magnify Him.
Begin to focus on the good things in your life. Don't be so dramatic about everything. Your thankfulness opens the door to God's blessing. Praise and thanksgiving will quickly lift you out of the dumps. It is impossible to stay depressed when you focus on God's goodness. Live a life of praise and thanksgiving and watch your circumstances change for the better.
