Healing Tree Hope 2.8

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed (I Peter 2:24).

Gratitude is a companion of healing. Gratefulness ushers in hope which is a prelude to a positive shift in a negative situation. There are steps to realization of healing through the hope that gratefulness provides.

One must first realize the operating position in the situation. For Christians, the position is one of divinely created righteousness. This position is under the protective custody of God's faithfulness, which is accessed through faith. Faith is the avenue through which humankind is justified! The just live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17); and this is a core principle in Christianity. To be sure, gratefulness is the propelling factor in a life of faith (Colossians 2:6-7).

Secondly, an attitude of gratitude solidifies hope in one's spirit. It gives the stamina to endure trouble because one's focus is like flint. Isaiah, inspired by a breath of thought from God's Spirit, proclaims: "Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put yo shame" (Isaiah 50:7). This is a statement with an undertone of appreciation through trust. Appreciation for God does not come without trust in Him. Isaiah is expressing a spirit of hope because He appreciates the aid of the One in whom He has trust.

Thirdly, flint-like focus steers unwavering determination and unyielding hope. These attributes are intertwined with a character of gratefulness. For whatever or whomever one is grateful, there is a loyalty to this entity or person. It is disloyal to God to doubt or be dismissive concerning His faithfulness. It is important to have a flint-like trust in God's loyalty and healing power. Thanksgiving and trust will bring a spirit of healing in the land of the living and in the hereafter. All things are in God's appointed time and complete will.

Rev. Patricia Robinson Williams, Ph. D., D. Min., LMFT

Co-Founder and Clergy Leader, Sacred Scripts, Inc.

Writer, Wisdom Pages Trademark