Attitude of Gratitude Treasure Hunt
The first week of focusing on an attitude of gratitude in my personal life has been surprisingly easy (especially when compared to fostering gratitude in others). I’m a long way from where I desire to be, but I’m off to a good start. I decided to treat this time of cultivating thankfulness in my life like a treasure hunt. Treasure is generally not stumbled upon, but instead is actively sought after with purposeful attention. Then once discovered, the treasure is carefully guarded and protected. My goal each day is to actively seek something to be appreciative of. At the end of my journey, I hope my treasure will be a more grateful heart, one I will aspire to guard, preserve, and grow.
Trail Guide
The Holy Spirit is the best guide in matters of the heart. He’s incredibly valuable in that He knows the location of the treasure. He knows the best path to travel to get the most out of the experience. He knows how to unlock the treasure chest, and He knows the pitfalls to avoid in the search. Without Him this becomes a mental exercise of choosing one of my innumerable blessings, jotting it down in my journal, or sharing it with my family, only to check off another item on my to-do list.
Instead, I yearn for this to be a spiritual exercise of my heart and mind directed by that still small voice guiding me to that one specific item the Father longs to highlight in my life. This type of experience requires attuning my spiritual eyes and ears to perceive where God is directing my heart in the here and now, at this juncture. It means putting aside my thoughts and feelings and letting the Holy Spirit lead my spirit. The Holy Spirit is a master at illuminating that one thing I need to meditate on, at just the right moment, to bring the most impact in my life. Whereas I could do this as a mental exercise and never achieve a more grateful heart, He can bring transformation with one well-placed revelatory thought.
I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
John 14:16-18 NASB
“These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
John 14:25,26 NASB
Treasure Map
Every treasure hunt needs a treasure map. In this case, my treasure map is the Bible. I have found it to be invaluable in my daily search for the fortune God wants to lavish on my heart. In a world full of distractions, disappointments, deception, and depravity, the Word of God grounds me. It draws me back to the heart of God. It reminds me who God is, how much He loves me, and how incredibly blessed I am!
…But my heart stands in awe of Your word.
I rejoice at Your word
As one who finds great treasure.
Psalm 119:161b, 162 NKJV
Join Me
Do you find yourself discontented much of the time? Do you tend to focus on the negative aspects of life? Do you desire a more grateful heart? If so, join me in cultivating thankfulness in your life. Purpose to be mindful of your blessings by letting the Word of God water your soul as you and the Holy Spirit go on a journey to recognize, acknowledge, and reflect on the blessings in your life, with the intent of acquiring the deeper treasure found in a grateful heart. Then share your journey in the comments section below.
© Machelle Baker November 2017
Machelle is a native Texan who values liberty. She has homeschooled six of her children at some point during their educational experience. She continues to home educate the youngest two. One way she expresses her passion for helping others is as a Crisis Chaplain. Some of the disasters to which she has deployed and ministered at are: the Bastrop, TX wildfire (2011), the West, TX plant explosion (2013), the Moore, OK F5 tornado (2013), and the Central Texas flood (October 2013), the Memorial Day Blanco River flood (2015), Hurricane Harvey (2017), the Sutherland Springs church shooting (2017), and most recently the El Paso Wal-Mart shooting (2019). She also currently serves a Regional Deputy Commander for the International Fellowship of Chaplains.
