Gratitude and appreciation – or the lack thereof – impacts all of life.
To begin each day with an acknowledgement of who I am (and Whose I am) makes a significant difference in my heart and my life.
That acknowledgement begins with appreciation for God and gratitude for all His wonderful blessings and what He has done for me.
The very act of ‘counting blessings’ has a domino result – the more I express Thanksgiving and Gratitude, the more I see the blessings around me.
Almost as if by bending to view the beauty and smell the perfume of a single rose opens my eyes to see the rolling acres of flowers that surround me!
I have found that when I begin my day with this expression of gratitude, I not only function better (focus begets function) but my positive expectation is higher as well.
Indeed I notice that the negatives in my life are reframed as opportunities for grace and growth. No, not all negatives can smell sweet as roses, but when I remember that God is God, then I remember His capability, and indeed promise, to turn all things to good and I find new opportunities for Gracious Gratitude.
The days when I rush headlong into the busy work, I inevitably find that I have missed the first meeting of the day. When I miss that meeting, I do notice a lack of gratitude and I feel like a runner that has ‘jumped the start’. I slow down, looking behind me, I see that He is waiting patiently for our meeting so that He can help me be better prepared to begin, serve and end well.
Gratitude for the greatest blessings in my life of course begins with God’s love and next is my family. My wife and children and those with whom I share my faith-journey all hold a special spot at the top of my list of blessings. By re-reminding myself of these basic issues every morning and often during my day, I am able to remain ready to serve as I am called upon.
By focusing on myself and beginning a selfish thought pattern, I quickly find that I am of no functional value to anyone – not my family, not even myself and certainly not to God.
The moments that I choose a focus of Gracious Gratitude, I am best prepared to serve those I love and whom love me and even those who do not love me – all of which is possible only to the extent that I yield to that Gracious Gratitude.
Wisdom teaches that Gratitude does impact life – by its presence or its absence.
by: Ted Lee Sadler
