Our Daily Gratitude

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

We’re grateful for our washing machine and the many years it has worked faithfully—until it breaks down and we need to replace it.

We’re happy that our loved one wants to spend time with us—until they snipe at us over a schedule conflict.

We’re thankful that the power company has restored our electricity after a middle-of-the-night outage—until we realize all our clocks are blinking and the coffee pot didn’t start automatically.

It’s in those moments—when we’re forced to find room in the budget for a new appliance or wait a few extra minutes for the coffee to brew (the horror!)—that we’re tested the most. Because it’s one thing to be thankful for the blessings that come to mind so easily—food, clothing, shelter, family, friends, church, community, a job—and another thing to be grateful in all circumstances. Disruptions can derail our gratitude.

Yet the Bible reminds us that gratitude isn’t just a mental exercise we do every once in a while; it’s a habit—one that Jesus demonstrated. Consider the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13:

Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.

I love how Jesus sets up the prayer. It starts with thanksgiving—may your name be kept holy—and an outward reflection—your Kingdom come . . . your will be done—before it turns inward. This thanksgiving, this attitude of praise, sets the tone for the prayer. And isn’t it true for us, too, that our attitude of gratitude (or not) can often set the tone for how we choose to respond to a situation?

When we start with thanksgiving and look outward, we naturally shift from focusing solely on ourselves to living as Jesus did: loving God, loving others. Let’s reframe the challenges of life through the lens of gratitude.

Kristin

Today’s Act of Gratitude

The next time you pray, praise and thank God for his blessings before talking to him about your needs and desires.