Gratitude Begins With Understanding

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Echoes of Truth

February 13th

Theme: Gratitude Begins With Understanding

 Why should we give God thanks? Because everything we have comes from God – Billy Graham 

The book of Psalms says only a fool says there is no God (Psalm 14:1). The fool who says there is no God will refuse the understanding that the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, they and all that dwell in it (Psalm 24:1). Such a fool will certainly have no sense of gratitude in her. However, does that mean that when we refuse to acknowledge the hand of God in our lives as the One who owns us, are we being foolish? 

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To not live a life of gratitude to God is to not see God’s benevolence over our lives in the good and bad times. We are saying to ourselves that we are right in our ways, and we trust in ourselves when we are lacking in gratitude (Proverbs 12:15; 19:3). 

Gratitude begins with understanding. When we recognise and understand God as our source, thanksgiving is the automatic response. We give thanks to God because in Him we live, move and have our being (Acts 17:28). God is the source of our existence. 

Scriptures further reiterate this in James 1:17, ‘’Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning’’. 

Note the Bible says every good gift, not some or a few. Sometimes we are tempted to believe that our achievements are the result of our own effort alone. We worked hard. We studied. We planned. We persevered. We are simply being foolish to think we can accomplish anything by our own means. 

But even the ability to do those things comes from God. No wonder God warned us against pride and self reliance in Deuteronomy 8:17-18 ‘’then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’ And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day’’. 

Pride takes gratitude from us and exposes us to disobedience. In 1 Corinthians 4:7: “For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” All the blessings we have both physical and spiritual all come from God, even salvation. 

Hence sisters, when you wake up everyday, remember that your life is a gift. The roof over your head is a gift. The people who love you are gifts. The Word of God in your hands is a gift. The Holy Spirit dwelling within you is a gift. Even the challenges that shape and refine you can become gifts in disguise, drawing you closer to Him (Romans 8:28).

Let us be females who recognize the Giver behind every blessing. Let us not rush past His goodness or take His provision lightly. Instead, let us echo the words of Psalm 103:2: “Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all His benefits.”

Take a moment to listen to this 10 minutes sermon clip by Paul Washer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1J32kJP6os

Let Us Pray:

Heavenly Father, we thank You for You are our source, thank You for we live, move and have our being in You, thank You for Your many blessings, accept our thanksgiving oh Lord. We pray that You help us to always acknowledge You in our lives. Keep pride and self reliance very far from us. May we never forget You in all our endeavours. Keep us thankful and grateful. Thank You Abba, in Jesus name we pray. Amen