ENDING THE YEAR ON A HIGH NOTE
My Gratitude Challenge
It is no news that the dawn of every 1st December puts a lot of humans in frantic mode.
I know this because I’ve always been in this category.
The feeling of not being able to achieve their dreams, plans and goals set for the year comes rushing in torrents.
For some, it’s a time to switch on the desperate button to ensure that they strike out most if not all of their goals for the year.
For others, it’s a time to complain, sulk and mourn over the goals they never achieved. There are two categories of people that can be found here:
- Those who will blame and beat themselves up for not being able to achieve their goals.
- Those who will blame everyone and everything apart from themselves for not being able to achieve their goals for the year.
For a few sets of persons, it is time to switch to Thanksgiving mode. They are intentional to thank God for what He did, has done, will do, is doing and didn’t do. Because they know that “… all things work together for good to those who love God…” Romans 8:28.
Over the years I’ve found myself in the first two categories. Either switching to panic mode and becoming desperate to make sure that I achieve at least 80% of my goals. And to be honest, it doesn’t always work. Or crying and complaining about not achieving my goals, blaming myself and everyone and everything.
But this year was different.
Let me not bore you with all of the details. 😉
At the beginning of December, I decided to do something different. I decided to switch to praise and thanksgiving.
I made a promise not to ask God for anything or make any request.
On a daily basis, I made sure I had something to thank God for. And oh what peace I felt.
My thanksgiving list ranged from thanking God for His help, life, health, family, sound mind, mercy, solid foundation, growth, for always hearing me, etc.
All of these were backed up with scriptures and prayer points.
I might decide to share these or not. Fingers crossed.
Was it easy maintaining thanksgiving mode? Hell, no.
There were days I wanted to badly list out all my requests (both old and new) and just dump them at Jesus’s feet.
Scratch that. There were days I did make one or two or more requests. But, it never stopped me from thanking God for the answers yet to come.
There are still eight (8) days left in December and I’m still high on thanksgiving.
I want this to be more of a lifestyle, like an end-of-the-year ritual for me.
Do you get?
Starting the year with gratitude and ending it with gratitude.
How has December being for you?
How has the thought of ending the year affected you?
