In my morning walk this question popped into my head: Are you truly living in gratitude to the Lord for all He is and has done for you? By gratitude I mean possessing a spirit of thankfulness that informs and fuels my daily moments?
The question prompted a walk down memory lane. I began to remember how, at the age of 12, I was near death. The prognosis was that, due to the massive shift of my brain because of the impact, I would either die or, at best, I would live in a vegetative state for the remainder of my life. Close to 38 years later, I am still alive! Praise God.
But Am I living in gratitude?
The walk down memory lane continued as I pondered how God had allowed me to achieve educational success in ways I never imagined. I reflected on the fact that my brain could process learning at high levels in rich and meaningful ways. I pondered on the fact that I had written books, articles, contributed to other books and even started organizations. None of this should not have been possible given my brain injury. But God is incredibly merciful and amazing.
In all of that I have made mistakes and, in times, have behaved in ways that are inconsistent with the character of the Christ who shifted my brain back in place. The Christ who allowed me to be educated and write, etc. True to His character, the Lord was and remains merciful and kind. Then there was this nagging question:
But am I living in gratitude?
The true answer, to be brutally honest, was no. Not because I am not grateful to the Lord or that I have not expressed this but because words alone are not enough. The reality is that I was not living my life with tenacity and bold faith that reflects the experience of the gracious and amazing power the Lord has demonstrated in my life.
I still waste time, perhaps too much time!
I still don't value relationships as I should.
I still don't read nearly as much as I should.
I still fail, at times, (too many) to repent of my attitude more less my actions.
Yes, I thank God for His mercy, and/but my life should count for Him and His glory such that people see in me - daily - what a human whose been forgiven by God looks like!
Yet, I can hear some people saying, "Well, none of us does all that we should." I agree, but what confronted me this morning was this: Am I following the words of Paul and, in light of the mercies of God, presenting my body as a living sacrifice - daily (Romans 12:1,2)? That is the standard of gratitude!
Am I laying out all that He has put in me?
Am I living my moments in His presence and acting accordingly?
Does my life and heart feel and match what David said, "I have set the Lord always before me" (Psalm 16:8)?
Always David? Really?
Sure, growth is something that we all should strive to do, but bigger than growth is this reality: showing gratitude towards the Lord by emptying myself of all that He has placed in my stewardship and care. It is to live so that His name can be praised in and through my sacrifice by me when I refuse to
leave an article unwritten
let an idea fade out of fear or procrastination
allow a thank you to never be stated
let a kind word or prayer to go unexpressed
allow a day to just pass by without meaning or purpose
All that the Lord has saved me from and all of those ideas, gifts, passions and desires I know He has placed were the things by which I measured my gratitude today.
What about you?
What idea and plan do you have that you have not worked on?
What relationship is in front of you that needs your attention?
What about your life?
How is your health - the one body the Lord gave you to give back to Him?
How are you spending your time - those hours we are blessed to be as creative and productive as we desire?
In creation this morning, as the sun was beginning to rise and the birds chirped away at the breaking of dawn - the Lord showed me that gratitude is a demonstration of my daily life as much as it is the communication of my lips.
ARE YOU LIVING IN GRATITUDE?