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Last update: 25th October 2022
Gratitude
Children are often taught a song that says:
“Count God’s blessings, put them all before your eyes, and you will see, as you worship, how great the number is„
A tight lipped thank you?
As an adult, I realised that I sometimes sang this song without my heart being in it. I said “thank you„ more out of politeness than out of an awareness of the magnitude of God’s good care for me. I was a bit like a teenager who thinks that everything her parents do for her is normal.
Thank you for so much goodness
Now, when we begin to identify God’s blessings, that is to say the acts of goodness that He shows us, we realise that they are many. More and more, we perceive that our God takes care of us in a delicate, precise and meticulous way, and that even if we face challenges, our heavenly Father watches over His children.
Sometimes it takes months or years before we become aware of God’s sovereignty and how much He was taking care of our situations that, at the time, seemed hopeless and in despair!
The importance of expressing gratitude towards our Father
So, I’ve come to realise the importance of expressing gratitude towards God, even in the midst of confusing and scary situations; this act of faith led me to change my perspective, and this has had an impact on many aspects of my life.
Gratitude and trust
In particular, I realised that there is a strong connection between being grateful and trusting in this loving, all-knowing and all-powerful God. Indeed, the more we recognise how much our heavenly Father cares for us, the more we feel His love and are able to relax, surrender our concerns to Him and stop worrying about tomorrow… We can let go and live in the moment instead of getting caught up in the whirlwind of multiple concerns. Jesus said in Matthew 7:11:
“If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!„
Our heavenly Father has an unfailing love for us and shows it to us. Our being, our life and all our circumstances are in His hands.
Today it’s His day! Express your gratitude: praise Him!
Thus, our prayers of thanksgiving warm the heart of our heavenly Father and at the same time, they act directly on us by soothing us and giving us more confidence in this God who surrounds us with His love and such goodwill! By thanking and blessing Him, we are in such a positive dynamic that lifts us above our disturbing situations and, at the same time, strengthens our bonds with this heavenly Father. What power praise and gratitude hold!
God is on your side, folks! Have a great day!