Psalm 100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
“Happiness does not make us grateful, gratitude keeps us happy – always”.
The way into the outer court of God’s presence is ‘thanksgiving’ and the door into His intimate presence is ‘praise and worship’. We can never engage in a meaningful conversation with the Lord with a grumpy or complaining attitude. We can pour our heart out to the Lord and speak about the pain plainly in prayer but we will not even enter into the courtyard of prayer if we try to barge in complaining, cranky or crabby. No matter what we are going through, our entry into the prayer closet must be thanksgiving.
There are two invisible gates in prayer – the gate of thanksgiving and the gate of praise. In the tabernacle of Moses, there was a gate to enter the outer court. Worshippers brought their sacrifice through the first gate and laid it on the brazen altar. Likewise there is a spiritual gate called the gate of thanksgiving. We can step into the prayer-court only through thanksgiving. We go into the tabernacle of prayer as we thank God for the gift of life, gift of another day, health and wellbeing. No one can say that they have nothing to be thankful for. Gratitude is an attitude not just an attribute. Our attributes are shaped by our attitude. “The more you practice thankfulness, the more you have to be thankful for” – Norman Vincent Peale. When we consciously cultivate an attitude of gratitude we will overflow with thankfulness.
Then, there was a second gate to enter the most holy place. That gate is the gate of praise. But you shall call your walls Salvation, And your gates Praise (Isaiah 60:18). While thankfulness is an attitude of gratitude for what God has done, praise is adoration, appreciation and acclamation about the natureGod. Our God is great and mighty, He is omnipotent and omniscient. He is gracious and merciful. Praise and worship draws us into the intimate place of God’s inner chamber of prayer. Intimacy with God builds the fortitude of our mind and soul. Gratitude builds fortitude/(boldness).
Gratitude bolsters fortitude and fortitude transcends us to great altitudes:
1. Gratitude: Gratitude keeps us joyful and happy. “I’m happy because I’m grateful. I choose to be grateful. That gratitude allows me to be happy”. Consciously develop the attitude of gratitude.An attitude of gratitude takes us into the presence of God.
2. Fortitude: Gratitude and thanksgiving makes our heart and soul strong and sturdy. In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11b).
3. Altitude: Anxiety dissipates, strength is restored and faith thrives in the intimate place of God’s presence.
Groom the attitude of gratitude; gratitude fortifies emotional and spiritual strength, and will carry us to greater heights.
Psalm 100:2 Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
Prayer: Father God, mould my heart to be grateful and bold to climb the altitude that you have for me. Amen.
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