Sacred Whispers Blog

“The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.”

Psalm 126:3 (KJV)

THE WONDERS OF THANKSGIVING

My wife and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary in Maui, Hawaii, and I can’t begin to tell you how breathtaking that experience was. If you have ever been to Hawaii, you know all about its majestic beaches, lush and captivating rainforests, and its purely divine sunrises. Looking out from our balcony early one morning, the two of us just sat and gazed at the early morning sun greeting the ocean on the landscape of the eastern horizon. The heart-stopping thrill of watching God’s work with the one I love more than anything in this earthly world etched this experience on my heart for a lifetime. As the first rays of sunlight stretched across the sky, they created a rainbow of gold, blue, and red light rays, and I remembered thinking that I hadn’t seen a display of the greatness of God more grand than the one I was currently beholding that morning. We could hear birds chirping in harmony, creating a symphony of sound and sights that took our minds off the mundane and stressful interruptions of life and caused us to set our thoughts on God. In moments like these, gratitude wells up in hearts without needing to be summoned. We are grateful to be alive; we are grateful for a God so great He would create all of this simply for our enjoyment. As we soaked in the peace that nature afforded us, we were struck with awe and wonder. This expression of beauty and goodness would make even the hardest heart whisper an uncontrollable ‘wow.’

But I would like to focus our minds on a thought even more solemn than that. It is not a difficult thing to find gratitude in our hearts when we are standing in the midst of wonders that we call ‘extraordinary’, but how often do we pause to give God thanks for the wonders He has planted in what we call simply – ‘ordinary’?

 Psalm 126:3 beckons us to live in a state of constant gratitude, being fully cognizant of the great things that God has done for us. Not just for sunrises, majestic waterfalls, and the glories of nature, but for the baby who sleeps in the room next to ours, the meal we enjoyed with good friends, the comfort we feel at the touch of our spouse, and the kindness we are granted in the words of strangers. We see all of the works of God as “great things” He has done. The Psalmist knows that worship and gratitude are not just a gift we offer for the grand moments of life, but it is a gift we offer for the simple pleasures that make our lives fulfilled.

EYES TO SEE

The everyday world around us is a mural of God’s majestic handiwork, yet many of us walk through life with our eyes closed to the miracles right at our doorsteps. We overlook the gifts of God tucked into each day. Gifts like a good laugh, a good cry, a good book, a good friend, a good night’s rest, and a good family. These ‘goodnesses’ do not come by accident, nor are they guaranteed, yet we take them for granted as if they are automatic coincidences of life. They are far from automatic. There are veritably millions of people in different parts of the world who know little of the simple pleasures I have just enumerated. They fight and claw to find peace; their homes are ravaged by war and bombs in the night. They are victims of unspeakable acts of violence, and many are lost and forgotten by the societies that surround them. Oh, what love God has bestowed upon us that He would allow us the simple pleasures that so many others long to have. No, these are not coincidences; they are the quiet whispers of the love of God.

And yet, so many struggle to be grateful. The aggravations and annoyances of life have robbed them of their joy. It’s a pain that irritates their body, an enemy that opposes their progress, or a luxury that is out of their reach; all of these little things have the power to cheat us out of our gratitude.

THE POWER OF GRATITUDE

Gratitude has built within it two amazing powers.  The first is its ability to shift our perspective.  When we begin to see all things as gifts from God, that shift in perspective has the power to transform our hearts from breeding grounds of unhappiness to flowing rivers of joy. When we focus on what we have rather than what we lack, we unlock a deeper sense of peace and fulfillment.  James reminds us that “every good and perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17). Every time you acknowledge one of these gifts, you are honoring the Father who gave it.

The second power of gratitude is that it is a powerful antidote for the illness of greed and envy. In a world that constantly urges us to strive for more—more money, more power, more friends, more recognition—gratitude teaches us to rest in the sufficiency of what God has already provided.  The truth is that you have more than you could imagine, and far more than you could deserve.  At the heart of gratitude is the Latin word gratis.  Gratis simply means grace, and grace is a gift that is given that we do not deserve. When you are grateful, you recognize that you possess a treasure that you did not seek.  Grateful people are not entitled; they are humbled; they are not demanding; they are appreciative.  Gratitude reminds us that we are not defined by what we possess, but rather by Who possesses us.

THE INTENTIONALITY OF GRATITUDE

Gratitude is as much a discipline as it is an emotion. It requires intentionality and purpose if it is to have any real meaning.  It involves a conscious effort to shift our focus from what is absent from our life to what is present in our life.

To help you with the ‘intentionality of gratitude’, ask yourself these questions:

• What am I truly grateful for today?
• Have I taken the time to acknowledge God’s hand in my life?
• How can I express my gratitude to Him and others?
• Are there areas where I’ve allowed complaints to blind me from seeing my blessings?

THE ROOT OF GRATITUDE

There is an African proverb that says, “No matter how far the stream flows, it never forgets its source.” Just as the stream cannot exist without the spring that feeds it, we cannot joyfully exist without acknowledging the God who blesses us. Every blessing we receive, every moment of joy we experience, every day of life we are granted—all these flow from the abundant fountains of God’s unconditional and amazing grace.

My prayer is that we never forget our Source. As we step into new opportunities, new relationships, or new seasons of life, may we be constantly driven back to say “thank you” to our Gracious God who has provided for us every good and perfect gift.

PRAYER

Gracious and Kind Father, for every blessing that I have not been able to see, thank You.  For every miracle I never stopped long enough to notice, thank You. For every kindness I was too unhappy to recognize, thank You.  For every person I was too selfish to appreciate, thank You.  For every day I was too preoccupied to enjoy, thank You. May there never again be a blessing, or miracle, or kindness, or person, or day that I don’t pause to say ‘thank You’ for. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

DAILY SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE

Set aside 10 minutes each evening this week to reflect on the blessings of the day. Write them down in a gratitude journal, no matter how small or ordinary they may seem. At the end of the week, review your list and spend time in prayer, thanking God for His goodness. Consider sharing one of these blessings with a friend or loved one, encouraging them to reflect on their own reasons for gratitude.