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Dr Nick Ohizu The Voice of God
Gratitude can be defined as thankfulness, gratefulness, or appreciation.
It is a feeling or attitude in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received or will receive.
The experience of gratitude has historically been a focus of several world religions, and has been considered extensively by moral philosophers.
The systematic study of gratitude within psychology only began around the year 2000. Possibly because psychology has traditionally been focused more on understanding distress rather than understanding positive emotions.
The study of gratitude within psychology has focused on the understanding of the short-term experience of the emotion of appreciation.
It is a proven fact that the consideration of individual differences has played a significant role in how people feel and express gratitude.
However, the principle of gratitude is embedded in the foundation of Christianity which started way back during the bible days and has been the reason for joy and happiness found in the lives of people who profess their trust and hope in God.
My birthday is this week and I feel so blessed and grateful to be alive and that has led me to take stock and realise how good God has been to me.
I have been led to make gratitude our topic for this month because the benefits of this awesome principle cannot be overemphasised.
The consistency in the challenges we face on a daily basis has made a lot of people lose sight of what they have and need to be grateful for.
Misunderstanding the requirement of gratitude is based on the scriptural ignorance of what is required for us to express gratitude.
Apostle Paul strongly recommended that we should “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” [1Thessalonians 5:16-18 KJV].
To be in a constant state of rejoicing emanating from the realisation that even though we may not have all we asked for, we live in the reality that God has given us much more than we deserved.
Owing to this reality, we must give thanks not only in some favourable occasions but in everything.
This involves every circumstance and situation irrespective of their emotional outcome whether negative or positive. The ability to operate above the painful and difficult situations in our lives and remain grateful is a sign that we are living a victorious life in Christ. Further understanding will be achieved when we elaborate on the segmentation required to reveal our points of gratitude in everything. That segmentation is portrayed in four important ways at every given moment, however, we will address each of them throughout this month of October.
Gratitude for what God has done
The expression of gratitude for what God has done for us is the way we acknowledge our deficiencies and dependency on him.
We see this is the way we pray after we wake up in the morning; when food is set before you, when we come back from work, and in many other moments of blessings.
We express our gratitude to God for counting us worthy to be the recipients of all his daily benefits.
The psalmist has helped us to understand that “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep” [Psalm 127:1-2 NKJV].
This revelation portrays that security is a gift, accommodation is a gift, eating is a gift and sleep is a gift.
Most of the time, people overlook the fact that the things mentioned above are gifts from God of which we are meant to be grateful.
We may not understand how important sleep is until we cannot find it anymore. Also, most people overlook the fact that having food to eat is a blessing from God until we find ourselves without it or worse having the food but lack the health and appetite to eat.
Sometimes it takes a trip to the hospital, or morgue to bring the awakening of how blessed we are. So, not getting a smart phone may seem like a gigantic problem, until we meet people who cannot see or hear.
I know so many occasions that I have been through the valley and thought I would never make it.
Many times, enemies have risen against me and God came through as the saviour.
Many occasions when I needed some financial help and God came through for me just at the nick of time.
Being alive and celebrating another birthday is a big point of gratitude for me because just like the psalmist said; “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us. Then they would have swallowed us alive, when their wrath was kindled against us. Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as prey to their teeth. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” [Ps.124.2,3,6&8NKJV].
We need to evaluate our lives and see how good God has been and be reminded that we are not better than the ones who are no longer here.
Therefore, if you find yourself in the land of the living with most organs in your body functioning; you may not have a job, spouse or all the money in this world; I want you to pause and lift your hands in the air and shout, ‘Thank you Jesus!’. Develop and maintain this attitude of gratitude.
Gratitude is the seed for more.
Dr Nick Ohizu is the senior pastor of The Empowerment Ministries and the president of the Empowerment School of Wealth both located in Graniteside Harare. He is a successful entrepreneur with vast experience in leadership, mentorship, business and marriage consultancy with a mandate from God to change lives and bless people. Feedback: 0772304917.
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