Psalm 86:12,13 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. (ESV)

Listen: Give Thanks to the Lord


To a great extent, how we experience life – what we get, what we give, how much we enjoy it … or not – is determined by the prevailing attitude we adopt. I think you’d agree that three people – one with a grumpy attitude, one with a victim mentality, one with an attitude of gratitude – are each going to see and experience the world very differently.

Look, our emotions do go up and down. Sometimes we’re disappointed, sometimes we’re elated. That’s only natural; nothing wrong with that. But here’s the question: what’s your prevailing attitude toward life?

Do you play the victim card time and time again? How’s that working out for you? Are you, frankly, arrogant and overbearing? How are your relationships doing? Are you constantly grumpy, where nothing anyone says or does is ever good enough for you? How much joy is that bringing you? You get the point.

So let me ask you today: what’s the overriding attitude you have in your heart toward your life, your circumstances, your family, your work? What is it? And perhaps as you ponder that, let these beautiful words flood over your heart:

Psalm 86:12,13 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. (ESV)

Okay, so things may not be going along completely as you’d hoped. But as someone once said, a grateful heart opens our eyes to a multitude of blessings that continually surround us.

So, when in doubt, thank God!

That’s His Word. Fresh … for you … today.