Recently, I said to a someone, “Hasn’t this summer been great?” “Oh no, it’s horrible – I hate the heat! I’m always sweating and the cost to run my air conditioner is killing me!” Later I commented to the same person, “Hasn’t this cooler weather been nice?” “Oh no, it’s horrible – it’s so cold. I just want to be outside and enjoy warmer weather.”
Have you ever noticed how ingratitude can turn even a blessing into a burden?
Ingratitude makes opportunities feel like obligations? Make a change by counting your blessings rather than your burdens? Being more thankful is to look differently at the situations in our lives.
Gratitude does not come from having things go our way or from having more. Gratitude comes from of a way of seeing things. What do you see?
Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things. Psalm 103:2-6
Notice the psalmist says to not forget all of God’s benefits
Why is it so difficult to be grateful? In order to be grateful, we need to recognize that something has been done for our benefit. That’s you and I.
We are the beneficiaries of God’s grace
Beneficiaries must believe they are receiving something they did not earn, merit, or deserve.
But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. Titus 3:4-5
Being truly grateful extends beyond our own convenience and goes against our need to feel in control of people or our environment.
Gratitude grows with humility
When you believe you deserve the good things you receive, you don’t feel the need to be grateful to others. If I believe I am owed something, I will not be thankful for it because I think I’m entitled to it.
As Steven Furtick said, “When entitlement is high, gratitude is low. When gratitude is high, entitlement is low. Gratitude begins where our sense of entitlement ends.”
So often we think we’ll be more grateful when I get that job, that relationship, that vacation, when my troubles disappear. Why do people who keep getting more and more, (Crypto) show less and less gratitude? I can convince myself I’m entitled to ______, I deserve it and if I don’t get it other people must be rude to me.
Gratitude comes with imperfection
If we look, wait and hope for perfect people and perfect circumstances we’ll never be grateful. We’ll miss out on God’s desire for our lives. We’re glad for our friends, for our homes, our cars, for success when it comes our way, for our jobs if we have them, but their absence does not prevent us from being grateful, especially for God’s greatest gift.
Gratitude brings Contentment
Being grateful helps us to appreciate things that we might otherwise take for granted and increases our contentment.
“For I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. Philippians 4:11-12
Gratitude takes time to develop and becomes part of who we are
Gratitude makes you a better person, not just in the sense of doing things for other people, but it comes with joy. When I’m grateful life feels more like a gift and I feel more engaged with the little things around me.
Talking about gratitude is great, but even better if it causes you to act because of it! The more we express gratitude the more natural it becomes. It can change your life and those around you!!
