As I read chapter 1, the first thing to jump out at me was this verse:
3 Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.
I have to admit that gratitude has been on my mind ever since I received the following in my email yesterday:
I have had a few conversations with friends about it too. Last night I was discussing it with a friend and he shared that his prayer time had revolved more around praying for other people rather than giving thanks to God. I shared with him the prayer model of ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication). But I also confessed that my first reaction to reading this was YIKES! While I follow that model and try to always include thanksgiving in my prayer time, it doesn't always get a focus and may be as simple as thank you for my friends, this day, food.
If I really only got today what I thanked God for yesterday, some days it would be slim pickings...although if I knew that was going to happen, I am sure I would remember a lot more things to be grateful for. But that is the interesting thing, gratitude shouldn't be about the consequences or results, it should be about gratefulness and sincerely appreciating the things in front of you. The problem is that I often take things for granted and it can be easy to take blessings from God for granted because they are always there. God is faithful, and sometimes my response is to just expect that blessing will always be there. Maybe you are like that too...
When was the last time you thanked God for air to breathe or the people you see each day you share your life with? Or the fact that there is a roof over your head? Or that you body and mind function pretty darn well?
Consider the message above and consider refocusing on an attitude of gratitude. I have seen the importance of it in my life. In fact, when things are at their worst, it is gratitude that I fall back on that reminds me that God is active in my life. Gratitude can be a path back to God when you have wandered, so practice it today while things are good (especially if they are not) so that your relationship with God grows and strengthens. You will be grateful that you did!
