Calming the Soul through Gratitude and Joy

By: Bethany Hill 

“When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.”

~Psalm 94:19

My great grandmother used to say that constant worrying was insulting to God, She shared with me at an early age that when we pray to God to ease our worry, we are handing those worries over to Him. “Give it to the Lord and don’t take it back.”, she would say. I had to be reminded of this often, because I worried about EVERYTHING. Looking back on childhood, I was constantly anxious about the future, my safety, and the safety of those I loved. My mind always went to the worst case scenario and my vivid imagination would create so many “what ifs”. 

How many times do we worry about something that hasn’t even happened? The fear of what could be can cause us to become engulfed in anxiety and blind of our blessings. Anxiety robs us of experiencing joy in the daily moments. It makes our blessings more difficult to see, It causes us to miss out on so much. 

When I become anxious and worry takes over, I remember what my great grandmother taught me: give it to God, and don’t take it back. Although I fail miserably at this sometimes, I’ve found that her words ring true in every situation. My first response to feeling anxious is to count my blessings. Gratitude is food for a soul that is starving for peace. Being intentional about expressing gratitude provides a pathway to joy in the daily moments. God is waiting on us to be thankful for the abundance of blessings He bestows upon us! Even in the most troubling times, there is always something to be thankful for. 

How will you show your gratitude today?