A Grateful Heart
I am not fond of platitudes. You’ve heard these sayings. Generally, the sayings are true and spiritual in and of themselves. But, often the sayings are used in the context where someone hears you talking about your struggles and uses the saying to make you go away. Here are a few examples:
1. “God works all things together for good”. (Hey, that one IS a scripture verse).
2. “God’s not going to give you more than you can handle”. (That one’s NOT true. He will help us through anything, but it is GOD that can handle it.)
3. One saying especially on my mind today is from a hymn, “Count your blessings”.
What we usually need is a listening ear, not a sermon or a saying (but that is a subject for another day). But here alone in my office this morning, I’ve had to tell myself the saying, “count your blessings”. Life is truly life when we cultivate a grateful heart.
There is a little trio of commands in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 that blows the negative dust and cobwebs out of our brain, opens the blinds, and brings a ray of sunshine. “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”. First, consider the end of the sentence, maybe say it another way. This is what God wants for you. Why? Because He knows this is what good life looks like. Jesus said he came to give life “more abundantly”. It is spiritually, mentally, and socially healthy.
Look First for the Small Joys
I want to focus on thanksgiving; but, consider first the practice of continually looking for things that bring joy, a smile to us. (A pretty flower, a classic car, a favorite song on the radio). Notice it says, “rejoice always”. It also says to pray without ceasing, remembering that God, who never needs anything, wants us to talk with Him about everything. What are we, that He even notices us? But He does.
A Grateful Heart for Every Good Thing
But the one that hit my spirit this morning was God’s call to a grateful heart. I want to be thankful for everything He does for us in this life. “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow” (James 1:17). Everything comes from the Father. I think the call to thanksgiving means I am always watching for the good things He does for me.
A Personal Moment on a Grumbling Day
This morning I saw in myself a grumbling about stuff, maybe in general. I’m getting therapy for an injured shoulder, and then, when I mow the grass, my bad knee acts up. It’s tough being 64, although the occasional senior discount is nice. I have been completely obsessed with a motorcycle trip I want to take, and honestly been wishing I could just pay cash for everything without thinking much about it. I was in the Harley Davidson dealer this weekend and their salesmen take the posture that you really should go ahead and be irresponsible with your payment because you “deserve it”. I didn’t go home with a new Tri-Glide, which I lamented cost more than my first house. I was grumping about how the stoplight at Highways 9 and 45 seems to have it in for me because I seemingly always hit the red light on the 1.6 mile route home to church and back. And I’m on a much needed rebuild of my eating habits, so I can’t solve my angst with a Super Sonic Double Cheeseburger.
But Then…
I watched a little Facebook video of my baby granddaughter scooting her pink unicorn around so she can hold her bottle too. I get on the web and find out a place where I can save $43 on a new rear tire for my motorcycle. And, of course, there is the motorcycle itself. It is a gift from God; it’s twenty years old and I am not sure I’d trade it for the Tri-Glide. Our cars are older, but they start first thing in the morning and have air conditioning. My church is my career, but they are also my friends and family. I also just watched two pickup loads of donated things arrive in our parking lot for the neighborhood “stuff sale” this weekend. What kind hearts our church family have!
I’ve got my health issues, but I am still vertical and my brain works, for the most part. I have four functioning adult children who are all employed and really good people. Better yet, they all know the Lord Jesus. Rhonda has put up with me for 36 years now. The sun is out and, even though I am eating salad for lunch, I have all manner of good vegetables to add to it. In everything give thanks.
I am not going to throw a platitude at you, but when we get negative and put a grump on, it is time to cultivate a grateful heart. It is what God wants for us.
