Cultivating GratitudeSample

Day 2: Gratitude’s Rarity

In Luke 17:11-19, Jesus healed 10 lepers and sent them off to have their healing validated by the priest. Only one came back, and in joyous gratitude, gave praise to Jesus for his healing. In disappointment, Jesus asked? “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 

Unfortunately, in this sin-sick, world gratitude is rare. As John 3:16 declares, Jesus came to earth to save everyone who would believe in Him – and yet Jesus had to say sadly in Matthew 22:14, “Many are called, but few are chosen”; and in Matthew 7:13 “…the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

We have so much for which to be grateful, and yet how easy it is to slide into selfishness, thinking only of ourselves, how hard we have it, how much we have to do, and how bad we feel. When we do feel good, we act as if we deserved it, and fail to thank and praise the One from whom all blessings flow. 

Do we really want to blend in with the crowd, which is heading through the wide gate that leads to destruction? Or, do we want to live our lives based on the Rock, Christ Jesus, humbling our hearts and enter into the rare beauty of God-centered gratitude? Let us today look to the One who is the source of every good thing in our lives.

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for thinking about myself so much, and forgetting Your Presence in my life. I acknowledge that You know about all things in my life, nothing has happened to me that You have not allowed. I thank You for the blessings You shower upon me, thank You for the good times, and also for the times that I struggle. I am grateful for all these things and I praise You with all my heart. I ask that Your Spirit would teach me and remind me of the wonderful things You have done for me, and change my heart to be more like You; to be more grateful for Your miracles in my life, amen.