Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will]. – 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Amplified Bible (AMP)

I don’t care how naturally optimistic we are, there will be days when we will just be mad. Maybe we wake up mad, or maybe the anger comes a few hours after we wipe the sleep out of our eyes. Either way, we are angry because something isn’t going the way we want it to, and when life doesn’t match up with how we think it should go, we get miffed.

When such days come, we can either choose to stew in our anger, or we can combat the bad vibes by counting the many blessings The Lord has bestowed upon us. Our hearts and minds can’t harbor (give place to, make room for) both anger and thankfulness at the same time, so when we begin to pour thankfulness into our souls, the anger is pushed out of the way.

Yes, life will fatigue us with its constant bombardment of irritations. When life’s annoyances, both large and small, launch towards your soul, deflect them by hiding behind the shield of thankfulness. Remember what God has done for you in the past. Consider what He is doing for you right now. Think on what He will do for you in the future as He keeps His promises in your life. The more you think on your life from a perspective of thankfulness, the more crippled your attitude of anger will become.