Bridget A. Thomas
Every day is a gift!
Grateful for a Guarded Heart
A month of gratitude! Let’s focus on gratitude throughout the month of November. I challenge you to look around and be more aware of the blessings in your life. And each day write down at least five things you are thankful for.
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” – Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)
The Bible tells us to guard our hearts. I believe this is important to remember when walking in gratitude. We have to be conscientious about what we allow into our lives, into our minds, seen by our eyes, and heard by our ears. Negativity and chaos breed more negativity and chaos. But optimism and peace breed more optimism and peace. How can we walk in gratitude if we are filling our lives with the all the wrong things? What we allow into our minds flows to our hearts. And in the end this ultimately affects our lives. We have to be selective about what movies we watch, what books we read, what comes through our television, what kind of friends we hang around, who we follow on social media, and so on.
We have to feed ourselves the right things. Things that will keep our hearts in the right place. Things that will edify and help us grow. Here are a few examples:
- The Bible. The living, breathing Word of God. Making the Bible part of our daily life will not only help us grow in our walk with the Lord, but it will also help us to grow in gratitude. This is vital when trying to fill your mind with the right things.
- In your spare time, listen to sermons or podcasts that teach the Word of God, or encourage you in some way.
- Listen to Christian radio.
- If you are on social media, follow Christian pastors and writers. Look for pages that inspire. Don’t follow pages that are filled with negative posts, complaints, questionable content, or foul language.
- My husband and I do not go to the movie theater very often. Maybe once every few years. Part of the reason is that if there is a movie we want to see, we would rather wait for it to be on television so that we don’t have to hear the four letter words.
- My sister and I like to read classic literature, authors like Jane Austen and the Brontë sisters. We usually read them at the same time as one another so we can discuss the books. It’s as though we have our own mini book club. A couple of years ago when we read The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, we talked about how “juicy” it was because the book had a multitude of plot twists. But we never reach for juicy books in a worldly sense.
Some things, people, and activities will help our spiritual health to grow stronger, while other things, people, and activities may weaken our spiritual health. Some things will draw us closer to Jesus, while other things pull us away from Him.
Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. – Luke 13:24
I know this post wasn’t fluffy and heart-warming. But I do feel this is an important topic to consider when walking with the Lord and when walking in gratitude. I am the type of person that is easily brought down by the negativity around me. So I have to make an extra effort to fill myself up with the right things. In this world we live in, we are constantly bombarded with all the wrong things. So I hope this post helps you to consider how you might make changes in your life as you walk in gratitude.
… And remember that every day is a gift from God!
(I will be sharing similar gratitude related posts here the first four Saturdays of this month. So be sure to visit again. And on each Thursday of this month, I will be sharing similar gratitude related posts on Christians Read. If you want to read the most recent Thursday post, click here.)
Bridget A. Thomas 
Really good reminder to be careful with what we fill ourselves with. I am very aware of what I consume via reading or through the media as it does impact us.
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Thank you! I am glad to hear that you enjoyed the post and that you are already keeping a close eye on these things. I fear many people don’t think about it because the things they consume just seem “normal” since it is what the world is doing. Thank you for commenting! 🌹
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I like classic literature as well. I find it so much more peaceful than modern literature. “Jane Eyer” was a really good read. I also like the children’s books like “Alice and Wonderland” and “Wind in the Williows” I still haven’t finished reading “Wind in the Willows” though. “The Secret Garden” is a good one too. I can have trouble staying focused on fiction. I’m far more interested in reality, so my mind wanders. The Bible is much easier for me to stay focused on.
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That’s a great thing actually! Many people who read fiction have a hard time focusing on non-fiction or the Bible. So you are blessed to fall on the other side. I read more non-fiction than fiction. But sometimes when I need a brain break I will pick up a fiction book. If it’s not classic literature, than it will be a Christian fiction book. 📚
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Oh really? Lol. I always saw it as a frustrating thing because I have a hard time “escaping” into a book. It takes me forever to get through fiction because I have a brain that likes to think, so my mind often wanders when I read fiction. Lol. I always think there’s something wrong with me. I guess that’s also why I love C.S. Lewis so much. He was a real thinker. That’s just how my brain is wired I guess, but it does make relaxing difficult. I do better with movies, but even then if the storyline isn’t griping me my mind will wander.
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There is nothing wrong with you at all! I think that is wonderful. I am a thinker too. It is hard for me to turn my brain off. But God made us that way and He doesn’t make mistakes. 😉
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Thank you! I need positive reenforcement! Lol. It’s VERY hard for me to turn my brain off. I’m always way ahead on my writing, but this gives me more time to edit. It’s just hard to get it all off of my brain. I find it all so interesting. I’ve been working on writing out parts of my story. After the mold update, I think I may start sharing more of my testimony.
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That sounds wonderful! I am sure it would be a blessing to those you share it with! 💜
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I rarely watch the news because of all the negativity they share. I love listening to sermons while doing chores around the house. The world will certainly let you down, but God never will. Great post!! 💕
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Thank you! “The world will certainly let you down, but God never will.” I love that! So very true! Thank you for commenting!! 🍂🍁
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Hello Bridget, your message is apt because focusing on things that take us away from our main focus (God), also affects our ability to be grateful. It is only when He is our focus that we can be intentional in giving thanks.
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Yes! So very true!! 🌹
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