Don’t Forget To Be Grateful

19 Jan

“God has never stopped being good.  We’ve just stopped being grateful.”  ~ Anonymous

I don’t want to sound like those grumpy people who always stand on their soapboxes preaching and/or grumbling.  I don’t want to.  However.  I am well aware that one of my buttons that often gets pushed is when people are not grateful for what they have received but, rather, act as if they were entitled to everything that they have.

I consider myself a generous person.  I have never had trouble sharing my blessings with others.  I do have to admit, however, that there have been times when I quit giving to some people.  They were the ones that acted as if they were expecting something and were entitled to get it from me.  They never thanked me.  They just waited for more.  Uh uh.  Wrong answer.

There are people who complain about God.  They say that He is distant and aloof.  They say that He is not generous and does not give them what they want.  They expect the sun and the moon and the stars from Him.

What they do not realize and would not admit is that they are the ones distant and aloof.  They have quit approaching God.  They fail to see Him right next to them.  They also would not admit that many of the things that they want are not or would not be good for them.  God doesn’t give us what we want.  He gives us what we need.

Gratitude does wondrous things.  It  opens our hearts to others.  It puts things in perspective.  It makes us more humble because we recognize that what we receive is not an entitlement but a gift.  God blesses us richly each day.  Maybe we could examine those blessings and thank Him for his bountiful love.

FAITH ACTION:  Make sure that your prayers today include gratitude to God for all that He has done, is doing, and will do for you.