Remaining Grateful in an Ungrateful World

Gratitude. It seems so simple doesn’t it? However, it would appear that this has become one of life’s many difficulties. In today’s society, it is so easy to become bogged down with the pressures of life. On some days the only thing we can do is just throw ourselves into the bed and be glad the day is over. We get so caught up in checking the next item off our list, or creating an Instagram perfect life that we lose the simple art of saying Thank You.  On the flip side, we become so focused on trying to become someone else’s Instagram perfect life that we lose focus of the greatness in our own life.

Thank you. Those two words have such meaning and such an impact on life. Those two words can put a smile on someone’s face and can even turn an unpleasant situation around. Gratitude helps foster an atmosphere of joyful praise and can lessen symptoms of depression and anxiety. It takes the focus off of you and places it outward onto God’s power, mercy, and love.   

 When God has blessed us and we become ungrateful, then our ungratefulness can grow into pride. We start to think, “I did that”. We must be intentional with remaining grateful and thanking God for all that we have.

Dissatisfaction comes when our attention shifts from what we have to what we don’t have. The people of Israel didn’t seem to notice what God was doing for them. He heard their cry, sent Moses, brought plagues onto the Egyptians, freed them from bondage, and then parted the Red Sea. Nevertheless, they remained focused on what they did not have.  Only two chapters after being delivered at the Red Sea and seeing God swallow up their slave masters, the Israelites are already complaining. In Exodus 16:3, “Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt when we sat by flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into the wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger”. Do we really think that God performs all these miracles in our lives, only to throw us by the wayside? God Forbid. God is so amazing. We have to remember that not only does he love us, but he also loves our enemies. Sometimes we have to be a little patient in our journey, because while he is showing us his power and love in delivering us, he is also showing our enemy who HE is. The Israelites were in captivity for a little longer while God showed the Egyptians that I AM THAT I AM!

Are we grateful for what God has done for us? Are we appreciative of what we have or are we only discouraged because of unfulfilled desires.  In Num. 11, The Israelites complained, “Who shall give us flesh to eat? But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all beside this manna, before our eyes”. Remember now, that God was raining down fresh manna from heaven six days a week. In verse 19, God cause a “quail storm” and the Israelites had to eat meat until it “comes out at your nostrils, and be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the Lord which is among you”. We must be careful with how we complain to God when he is giving us a miracle every day.

I write down a few things that I am thankful for once I get into bed at night. This helps me go to bed focusing on the positive and thus promoting a good nights sleep.  Being grateful helps us to remain positive, loving, and humble (Ps 92:1). Being grateful also helps me to be appreciative of all the people in my life whose gifts are different from mine. It helps me realize that I can’t do it all alone. (Rom. 12:6) Take my husband for example, my strengths balance his weaknesses and his strengths balance my weakness, which makes us a formidable team. Wow, now doesn’t that take some pressure off of us and relieve our anxiety. It is not all up to me. God has many members in this body. Taking time every night to thank God is especially necessary when we are in the midst of a storm. It is then we should rejoice and be glad because we know that he is working it out for our good (Eph. 5:20). God has not caused the evil, so therefore we must not thank him for the evil but rather his presence in the situation. The devil means it for our harm, but God turns it around for our good. Let’s be grateful no matter our situation. Say thank you for the simple things as well as the grand. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I would love to hear what you are grateful for. Always remember, faith started healing the leper, but gratitude made him whole (Luke 17:12-19)