Choosing Gratefulness

In many ways, I can say that I am profoundly grateful to God at this moment in time for allowing me to see the negative in my own perspective about my life, and giving me the opportunity to change it. 

Developing a heart of gratefulness and gratitude comes over time and a change in perspective.  Time provides us with the opportunity to be grateful consistently.  Forming the habit of being grateful is a learned behavior.  We teach kids, or at least we try to teach kids to be grateful for the many blessings they have in their own lives.  But, as adults where do we go wrong? 

The world can be a brutal beast if we let it.  Life’s ebbs and flows often through us off cue, without us expecting.  We then develop an exterior of hardness, coldness, and callousness, in order to protect ourselves from things that prey upon us. But, instead of it protecting us, it blinds us and prevents us from seeing God’s grace and the abundance of goodness available to us.

This takes a change in perspective. 

It’s not a one-time decision, made in the spur of the moment.  It takes persistence, and the skill of staying the course.  It's a patiently learned principle. 

For some this may be elementary.  For others, you may already practice this principle.  But, for me, I confess, it's easier said than done.  I have my days in which I am very unappreciative.  I confess this, I own this.  So, today I'm making the choice to be grateful.  

Being grateful lightens the load we carry from day to day.  Being grateful exposes the sinfulness of selfishness, greed, and want.  Being grateful helps us to see God. 

Gratefulness unlocks the doors that are right in front of us.  We see clearer the door of opportunity hid behind the sty of ungratefulness when we become grateful.  This is powerful!  If we want power let us choose to change our negative perspective to one filled with gratefulness. 

As I pilgrimage this day, I am grateful for the wonder of God, the provision of God, the love of God, the life that God has given me, and the opportunity God has provided me with to change my ungrateful perspective.

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?

If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? 

But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door;

it desires to have you, but you must master it.”

Gen 4.6-7