We are called to be grateful at all times, regardless of the circumstances. While it may seem like an utter cliché, There’s a deeper truth and greater joy that is we found when we truly trust God, and believe that He not only can, and will do something for us, but that He already is merciful and gracious, simply because of who He is.
I am the first one to admit that I am not always filled with gratitude. When things don’t go exactly as I planned, or by my timeline, I set up for myself, I can very easily fall in to a bad mood, ruining my day.
But, when God does give us what we want, the complaint still exists, because he didn’t do something the way that we desired. It’s our human nature to become upset and impatient simply because the world doesn’t revolve around every single thing we’d like it too.
We can easily look back at the Israelites and see the same thing in this group of people. They experience hundreds of years of struggle, yet God always vindicated them and brought them out of the darkness and into the light. The Israelites spent 400 years in slavery in Egypt. Their Egyptian captors experienced torment through plagues of disaster, unnatural impossibilities and death to their first born. What happened when the Israelites were pursued by the same people God, miraculously parted the Red Sea so they could escape while their enemies drowned. And yet, even after experiencing such refuge, the same group of people, God has saved time and time again had enough nerve to complain about the food they were miraculously fed by God day after day.
We might think that the Israelites were just extra picky and ungrateful. But how often do we experience? God do the super natural and yet still complaining about what He’s bestowed upon us?
So often we find ourselves complaining about the job we asked for, the friends, we prayed for, and maybe even the vast food selection we have to choose from. As it, Israelites were fed manna, drank from streams out of rocks and were led by the Spirit of God by cloud by day and fire at night. He provided for their every need, and He’s done the same in our nation, whether we choose to see it or not. While it’s true, that many still have vast needs, we have been placed in a spot where resources are abundant if only we used them to help each other out the way God has commanded us to.
It’s not unusual, though that we wouldn’t necessarily package and the gravity of thankfulness. After all, the very definition of being thankful is ‘conscious of benefits received.’ Gratitude is not an intimate part of our Leslie, sinful nature. Gratitude requires a mindful decision to take in all that we have been given, how God is moving in our lives, and what we believe He will still do.
The purpose of gratitude is to draw closer to God. Thanking God for all he has done and for who He has done it. He keeps life in perspective.
If all you had was what you thanked God for today, what would you have?
This simple, yet thought provoking question, hits me in entirely new way. How rarely do we think God for what He is providing for us? I know for me he has given me so much more than I ever ask for -a family who loves me, friends who care, food o my table and a bed to sleep in. When you think of those items and blessings, instead of seeing the issues that surround you and the complaint of what wasn’t perfect in life it can change your entire perspective in life.
Our mindset needs to shift. You need to thank God for what He has given us. this type of gratitude changes, your attitude about life, but it also increases our heart capacity to love God even more. Why are most of us are far from perfect and slip into moments of bitterness we should constantly reminded of the beauty of gratitude because of this question, “ If all you had, was what you thanked God for today, what would you have?”
When we are filled with heartfelt gratitude, God can, and best answer our prayers according to His good and perfect plan. That’s why Philippians 4:6 says, “ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with gratitude, make sure your requests, are known to God.”
Yes, as the Lord is pure. He is looking for pure hearts that are refined daily to be more like Christ. When we position our prayers, with a grander, understanding, and belief that God is good, we can expect likely come to the throne of grace, knowing that God will hear us an answer, according to His perfect will, and timing.
From Pity to Praise 