After 10 weeks, those who wrote about gratitude were more optimistic and felt better about their lives. Surprisingly, they also exercised more and had fewer visits to physicians than those who focused on sources of aggravation.

Luke 17:15-19 (NIV)

15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.
16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?
18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?”
19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

Jesus dealt with the ten lepers’ outward sickness, but only one leper allowed Jesus to deal with the inward brokenness.

The need to belong is a powerful thing!

The need to be a part of a cause has real power.

The need to be against something distracts from the pain of our own emptiness.

Being thankful, the Samaritan, the leper, the unclean, the foreigner, received Sozo salvation - outward and inward healing and right standing with God.

TIFAW

I will put into practice these three exercises to stay in an attitude of thanksgiving.

1. Appreciate everything. Drama, trauma, or misery are not my cause.

       1 Thessalonians 5:18 
   
       Ephesians 5:20 
   

2. I surround myself with gratitude-focused people.

       Proverbs 13:20 
   
       1 Corinthians 15:33
   

3. I live in the now. I have to stop being a victim at some point.

       Psalm 16:11
   
       Matthew 6:34