Psalm 136:1 – “O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever.”
Gratitude is one of the measures for determining our spirituality. Gratitude takes nothing for granted. Gratitude is a virtue every child of God should cultivate.
Even when life brings you down, you must make intentional effort to slow down, take stock and express gratitude to God. Count your blessings, name them one by one and thank God for the gift of His Son and death of His Son.
We must live gratefully in the midst of tribulations, suffering, sickness, persecution, hardship and financial burden. You must be intentional, courageous about what God’s faithfulness looks like in good and bad times. Our gratitude to God must not be conditional. Life is not always a buffet of delicious situations where we get to pick and choose which food to be put on our plate.
Romans 8:28 – “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
When we go through terrible circumstances why should one be thankful? Trials and tribulations mould us into the likeness of Christ, it makes us stronger and purifies our faith. Don’t forget that God is faithful and his with us even amidst trials. Therefore, we ought to thank God for what He is doing even through the most painful circumstances.
James 1:17 – “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
If it is good, know it is from God. If it is bad, know that it is working patience and humility in you. Painful events can shape and build us. True gratitude comes from seeing the hand of God working in our lives. When pain overwhelms a man, he can easily miss out on God’s blessing by being ungrateful. Gratitude must not be taken for granted because gratitude realigns us to the Giver in anticipation of an increase in His activity in our lives.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 scripture says, “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Practice gratitude in an assurance that God will redeem and keep you. In gratitude, we recognise who God is and what He has done. The temporal blessings we receive are grounds for gratitude to both God and others. We must thank God for everything provided in the natural for us and also our spiritual blessings made available through Christ. God has equipped us with all we need for life and godliness. The list of spiritual blessings we receive from God could go on, and each thing on that list is a cause for gratitude. Being grateful is the only proper response to such lavish of grace.
As humans, it is easy to complain and grumble but we must learn to thank God in everything realizing it is His will in Christ Jesus. Our lives and all good things are gifts and blessings from God. There is nothing man has done to deserve these gifts. We are indebted to God for His grace.
True gratitude must be intentional, to challenge our assumptions of what God’s faithfulness looks like in both good and bad times. Our response towards the Giver must not be dependent on the tangible good things He provides for us than the good God has proven to be.
What are you thankful for? Dear reader, please be encouraged to thank the Lord in whatever circumstances you find yourself. Be still and know that He is God!!!
Shalom
Wunmi Oyesanya
info@mzjewel.com
