Be Grateful

Be Grateful

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

What does gratitude have to do with experiencing a life of greater peace? Gratitude is like a compass that can help us get our bearings. Imagine wandering in a great wilderness with no obvious way out. You’ve lost the trail completely. Alone and anxious, you wonder how on earth you will ever find your way home. It’s a frightening and disheartening experience. But then you remember. Digging deep into your backpack, you find the compass. With it, you know you can make your way to safety.

Like the compass, gratitude helps us find our bearings. It points us in the right direction—toward God, who is the source of all our blessings. I try to remind my children of the importance of giving thanks. When they can’t find anything to be thankful about, I start reminding them: a house to live in, a family who loves them, friends, sunshine, food, fun, freedom, health, and on and on and on. Living with gratitude is like living with your face to the sun. It orients you to goodness rather than complaint.

I wish I could tell you that my face is always oriented toward the sun, that I am always as grateful as I should be. I’m not. But when I need to dig myself out of a hole, I find that gratitude makes an excellent shovel.

Join me today in turning your back on all that is wrong in your life, on every complaint and shadow that haunts you. And turn your face toward God. Give him thanks and praise, remembering all the good he’s ever done for you.

Lord, thank you for revealing yourself to me, for daily blessings, for rescue and grace and mercy and goodness. Thank you for a future that is full of hope. Give me a grateful heart, and keep my face always turned toward you.