Study after study has linked gratitude to happiness. Psychologists and sociologists have proven that the more grateful you are, the happier you are.
If you want to have healthy relationships, then start with an attitude of gratitude. You will be far happier and enjoy your relationships more if you develop the habit of being grateful for the people in your life.
Paul says in Philippians 1:3, “Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God” (NLT).
This simple truth is the foundation of good relationships.
When you think of the people in your life, is your first feeling gratitude? Or is it, “What do they need to do for me? What problems do we need to resolve? What do we need to get done?” Paul showed us a different way. His first thought for his friends was one of gratitude, and it is the model to follow if we want relationships that last.
Here’s the challenge: The longer you know someone, the more likely you take that person for granted. The longer you know someone, the easier it is to focus on that person’s faults and the bad times instead of the happy times.
That’s why it takes effort on your part to choose to have an attitude of gratitude for the people in your life. When you develop the habit of thanking God for others, it will cultivate happiness and have a lasting and eternal impact on those relationships.
Why would God want you to thank him for the people he has placed in your life?
How can you develop more gratitude for the people in your life? What will help you continue to have gratitude for them?
Tell someone today why you are grateful for them. Be as specific as possible!
“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,”
Philippians 1:3 NKJV
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