Gratitude is an amazing gift from God. It takes us from the doldrums to happiness, gives us more optimism and positive emotions, it enhances our relationships, sets us on the road to better health, even healing, and disruption of aches and pains. Gratitude will give you more alertness and determination, even giving you better sleep as it sets you on the road to greater achievement. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? Why aren’t we all more grateful?
Jeremiah 17:9 (ESV) — 9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
2 Timothy 3:2–4 (ESV) — 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
Romans 1:20–22 (ESV) — 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
As much good as we see gratitude will bring us, there is something in us that refuses to realize the blessing of God in all that we have or that we are totally undeserving of anything but His wrath, so we try to take credit in our minds and rob God of His glory in expressing gratitude.
No wonder God commands us to be grateful because gratitude is not an option, but it is a choice. Consider:
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV) — 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Psalm 100:3–4 (ESV) — 3 Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!
Colossians 3:15 (ESV) — 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
The Bible is very clear that we are to consider all that we have as a gift from God.
1 Corinthians 4:7 (ESV) — 7 For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?
James 1:17 (ESV) — 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
If we take assessment of all that we have and realize that it was not us but God who provided all things, then we look beyond ourselves to our provider and give thanks. That’s why we are instructed to continue in prayer, but also watch and notice everything that God provides, and be ready to with plenty of thanksgiving to God.
Colossians 4:2 (ESV) — 2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
Taking recognition of God’s provision is to recognize a lack that maybe you hadn’t noticed but somehow the provision has filled the void so that you now have. This is why we must understand God’s promises to do what is right for us when we pray as well as His promises to take care of our needs.
Philippians 4:19 (ESV) — 19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Matthew 7:7–11 (ESV) — 7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
God has given every reason to be grateful, He has commanded us to be grateful, and He has allowed researchers in all aspects of life today to see the vast benefits are to be had in being grateful. The next step is your application of this knowledge. Will you apply yourself to be a grateful person? Keep in mind that we must ward off the internal tendency to resist God and stay in a state of being ungrateful. Persevere because the benefits are yours. Begin with a list of as many things for which you should be grateful. Write down your list and express your list. Work on becoming a grateful person in expressing gratitude to others for the least little thing. Watch what happens. You will not only feel better, but you’ll also sleep better, you’ll make someone else’s day, and you’ll give glory to God. That is the power of gratitude.
Godspeed,
Bob Brubaker, Pastor
Christ Community Presbyterian Church
Clearwater, FL
