Cultivating GratitudeSample

Day 7: The Downward Spiral of Ungratefulness

Romans 1:18-21 describes the fact that we are without excuse for suppressing what we know to be true about God: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him”. 

Second Thessalonians 2:10-11 says this: “…because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore, God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false…”

In the same way – we are without excuse for our lack of gratitude. The more we worship ourselves and our opinions over the God we know to be true and amazing, the more God blinds our eyes. The more we allow ourselves to be ungrateful, the more our eyes are closed to the truth, and the more Satan has his way with us. We are never closer to failure than during our greatest successes. Our tendency toward selfishness makes it so easy for us to focus on how superior we are, and believe we are self-made successes. In truth we have nothing that we have not received, and every good and perfect gift always comes from above!

If you find yourself in this downward spiral – stop what you are doing immediately; confess your selfishness; receive God’s wonderful forgiveness and begin anew or for the first time with a Christ-centered understanding of the joy of gratitude.