Today is Palm Sunday. I like to write my gratitude posts on Sunday, seems fitting.
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. – 1 Thessalonians 5:18
I recently read a blog post that eloquently spoke of the role of gratitude in a Christian’s life and what the Bible says in contrast to common, popular theology. A good read.
The writer above goes into more depth than I will here, but this is what my gratitude journal and blog posts are all about:
My heart and life have been radically changed by my Lord and Savior. The more I read His Word and live this life, the more I see His mercies, His blessings. The longer I live the more I see I can not do this alone, the less I think of myself outside of Him. The more time I spend in His Word and in quiet prayer with Him, the greater my heart overflows with a thankfulness that words can not express. He’s given me a promise greater than any blessing here on Earth, made a sacrifice bigger than any trouble I may face.
My list may seem very basic to some, but to me it is the essence of God. He is the source for all my blessings, big or small, recognized or misunderstood. I see the Creator, my Creator, in His creation. He cares for me in the most basic of ways and the greatest way possible, His Son sacrificed for me.
When I think of all that Christ suffered, for me, for you, for everyone, I am humbled. It is in that humbleness that I offer thanks for the many blessings in my life. I offer my life as a sacrifice to Him. Through it, the Holy Spirit convicts me to not grumble or complain, comforts me when I fall and softens my heart when I let the world harden it.
My gratitude list isn’t my savior.
It isn’t my saving grace.
It isn’t my salvation.
It is my constant reminder for perspective.
It is the outpouring of a thankful heart.
It is my obedience to His Word.
My salvation isn’t a result of my gratitude. My gratitude is the result of my salvation.
With that, I continue to give thanks to the Giver of All Things:
228. Little frogs.
229. First thunderstorms of the year.
230. Answered prayer.
231. Encouragement from godly women.
232. Encouragement where you least expect it.
233. Being able to take the good and leave the bad.
234. Birthday gifts in my favorite color.
235. Polkadots!
236. Flannel pants.
237. Rediscovering my fondness for flannel boxer shorts as sleepwear.
238. Realizing it takes much less fabric to make boxer shorts than pants.
239. New babies.
240. New babies I get to hold.
241. Newborns.
242. Newborn baby boys.
243. Babies.
244. Friends who let me hold their babies.
245. My babies – though not exactly “babies” anymore.
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