What does it take to be thankful? In a world that focuses on negative, an attitude of thankfulness requires us to be intentional.
On a recent flight, Pastor Lane Skoglund-Anderson, Campus
Pastor for the Avinity Assisted Living, sat next to a psychologist who specializes
in thankfulness. The psychologist
explained that being intentionally thankful changes the patterns in the brain
leading to health benefits. Specifically,
being thankful is good for our heart. To
improve your health, the psychologist suggested to think of three different
things each morning to be thankful for and journal them. Ironically, Pastor Lane previously had heart
surgery and his doctor gave him one word of advice after the surgery: “When you
wake up each day, think of three things you can be grateful for. It is good for your heart.”
The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 12:2: Do not
conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your
mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good,
pleasing, and perfect will.
The pattern of this world is to look for the worst in people
and to be quick to criticize people who do not think or look like us. As officials, we are surrounded by negativity
from coaches, players, fans, and tv/radio broadcast announcers. Even when we are evaluated as officials, evaluators
tend to focus on what we should have done—the negative. We can get consumed both mentally and
physically with negativity. We must be
intentionally thankful.
As officials, listed below are three things for which we can
be thankful:
·
Thankful for family that supports us.
·
Thankful for opportunities to have positive interactions
with people we encounter.
·
Thankful for the physical, mental, and emotional
ability to officiate.
Ask yourself, what additional things are you thankful for as
an official?
As Paul instructed, let’s not be conformed to the pattern of
the world. Let our minds be renewed
daily with an attitude of thankfulness to help us positively impact the world
around us.
“A thankful attitude will contribute
to a youthful spirit”
Credit to Pastor Lane Skoglund-Anderson
No comments:
Post a Comment