Gratitude and contentment are not natural responses for most of us humanoids. Something in our psyche seems to be wired to default to complaining and negativity. Even the Apostle Paul said: “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” And a bit later he wrote: “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.” One of the greatest leaders in Christian history had to learn how to develop the aptitude of gratitude.

Question is… how do we do that? An aptitude of gratitude is something we all can agree with theoretically… but how in the world do we get there? Let me offer a few thoughts:

Find God in every situation

In good situations… and in not-so-good situations. If you belong to Him, He is with you always… for real. He never wastes anything in our lives… whether it’s good or not-so-good.

Be thankful for what you have instead of un-thankful for what you don’t have

Today I’m thankful for legs that can walk, hands that can write, eyes that can see, ears that can hear, a brain that still functions, a roof over my head, food in the belly, a car that runs, a wife who loves me, children who are making something out of their lives, friends who are dear… and on and on it goes.

Focus on what’s left… not on what’s lost

When we develop the aptitude of gratitude… it becomes possible to experience contentment on a regular basis. If you’re not convinced, let Paul encourage you with his well-known line from Philippians 4… “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.” If you supply the effort… God will supply the strength to live contentedly, no matter your circumstance.