Biblical Gratitude

I have begun reading a book called "Choosing Gratitude..Your Journey to Joy."  I struggle with an ungrateful heart.  Romans 1 speaks of what happens to the ungrateful. It's not a good ending.  Nancy Leigh DeMoss wrote it with an introduction by Joni Eareckson Tada.  Both said something very interesting.  Throughout my Christian walk I've heard Bible teachers that we should be thankful in a given circumstance and not for it.  These ladies both disagree.

To quote Joni:

"And so I've been giving thanks for most of my paralyzed life. Not only giving thanks "in everything" as one part of the Bible tells us, but "always giving thanks to God the Father for everything" as another part commands (I Thessalonians 5: 18; Ephesians 5: 19-20  NIV). Most of us are able to thank God for His grace, comfort, and sustaining power in a trial, but we don't think Him for the problem, just finding Him in it."

Joni then writes that not only is she grateful for the wheelchair but her quadriplegia as well. She calls it a blessing. To quote her it is: "a gift wrapped in black." She says that the Savior is not separate from the suffering He allows. She and Nancy are deeply committed to the idea that gratitude pushes you to the Lord and thus the place of joy.

I don't know about you but my life isn't overabundant with joy. Nancy says:

I've discovered that gratitude truly is my life preserver. Even in the most turbulent waters, choosing gratitude has rescued me from myself and my runaway emotions.  It buoys me on the grace of God and keeps me from drowning in what otherwise would be my natural bent toward doubt, negativity, discouragement, and anxiety. Over time choosing gratitude means choosing joy."

I am hopeful that the Lord uses this book in my life to convict of the lack of gratitude and joy.  The author calls gratitude a spiritual discipline. I'm learning a lot about the disciplines of the Christian life these days. It's been a very good thing...and one for which I am truly grateful.

A Gratitude Attitude

God has convicted me in a number of ways today about my lack of gratitude.  Tonight at BSF our teaching leader suggested that we find 30 blessings--spiritual or temporal--a day for which we should express thanksgiving.  I realized that my heart is not a grateful one and that's to my own peril.  God has much to say about thanklessness and none of it is good.  I want to share some of what I'm grateful for here on the blog.  Somethings may be too personal to mention but I want to start tonight with some of the blessings God gave me this week.

• Spirit's death was orchestrated by a sovereign God and I was at the hospital at such significant times. My vet was very helpful in guiding me through her care and trying to keep the bill to a minimum.
• My eye was healed by God when it was leaking and I didn't have to have a second surgery to correct it. Even the ophthalmologist was surprised.
• My family took such good care of me while I recuperated.
• My two aunts passed into the presence of the Savior this week.
• My church is a God centered church filled with believers striving hard after God and led by faithful elders..
• My car still runs.
• My friends and family care for me deeply.
• My part time job keeps me busy, brings provision and enables me to stay connected to Sunrise.
• I sleep well every night.
• My eyesight is so much better with just one eye corrected and God has provided the resources for the second surgery in three weeks.
• God has granted me the blessing of salvation.
• God is sanctifying me.
• God has granted me gifts for the benefit of the body that I used this week.

Maybe all who read this are in the habit of an attitude of gratitude.  I pray so.  As for me I needed the conviction and prayerfully will obey the Lord in possessing a grateful heart.