Holiday Season Attitude
Some people will answer: “I don’t know; we’ll see what happens.” Others will identify their attitude with descriptive words or certain adjectives, and still others will answer that question with total silence. Regardless of what attitude you choose, the question remains: Is your attitude worth catching?
The attitude I am recommending this Holiday Season is found in Psalm 100.
Psalm 100:4 (NKJV)
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless his name.
The attitude I am recommending is the attitude of thanksgiving and praise. Psalm 100:4 is an invitation to enter joyfully into God’s presence. Thanksgiving and praise are the keys to entering God’s presence and being at home there. God wants us to worship Him with thanksgiving and praise as we enjoy being in His presence. In other words, this is the way God expects us to live.
I want to give you 4 reasons why I am going to “attempt” to adopt and maintain this particular attitude, not only this holiday season, but throughout the coming year. The reason I use the word “attempt” is because this attitude is not always easy to maintain.
Here are the 4 reasons why I am going to “attempt” to maintain an attitude of thanksgiving and praise this Holiday Season. Perhaps you would like to do the same…
1. It is God’s will.
It is God’s will for you to adopt and maintain an attitude of gratitude. This is confirmed in First Thessalonians 5:18, which says, “In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Every Christian is admonished to adopt and maintain an attitude of thanksgiving and praise.
2. The gift of Jesus demands it!
2 Corinthians 9:15 (NKJV)
Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
God gave you the gift of Jesus and the proper response when you receive a gift is to simply say, “Thank you.” Maintaining an attitude of thanksgiving and praise is one of the ways people can tell you are a Christian. Because of the finished work of Christ, our lips should continually confess God’s name in praise (Hebrews 13:15). The reason it is called a sacrifice of praise is because we do not always feel like praising and thanking God, but praising and thanking God (especially when you don’t feel like it) glorifies Jesus.
3. God assures us that everything is going to work together for our good.
We can continually give God thanks and praise because God assures us that everything is going to work together for our good.
Romans 8:28 (NLT)
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
The intimation in this verse is that if you will make a habit of maintaining an attitude of thanksgiving and praise, God will make sure that everything works together for your good. A habitual lifestyle of thanksgiving and praise does two things: First, it proves that you love God, and second, it confirms that you are called according to His purpose.
4. It shows people God’s victory plan.
God wants to use people who have an attitude of thanksgiving and praise to show others His victory plan. God wants to use you to show someone else His love.
2 Corinthians 2:14 (NCV)
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in victory through Christ. God uses us to spread His knowledge everywhere like a sweet-smelling perfume.
We have victory in Christ, and thankful praise is the key that keeps the door to victory open. Maintaining an attitude of thanksgiving and praise not only thanks God for His blessing in your life, but it also thanks God for the opportunity to be a blessing in someone else’s life. Being thankful for the people in your life gives you more reasons to be thankful for them.
So what’s your attitude going to be this Holiday Season? To a large extent, your attitude determines what happens in your life because your attitude is like a magnet drawing into your life more of what you are thankful for.
Here are some of the truths you will enjoy when you listen to the FREE mp3 download, “What’s your attitude going to be this Holiday Season?”
- The attitude of thanksgiving and praise is the culture of heaven.
- Maintaining an attitude of thanksgiving and praise confirms and enforces Satan’s defeat.
- God brings people through the door of your life so He can bless them through you.
- Your attitude is like a magnet drawing into your life more of what you’re thankful for.
- God’s power for victory is released into your life when you respond to people instead of always reacting to them.