Cultivating a Heart of GratitudeShembull

Find Gratitude in All the Moments

When we surrender all to Jesus and allow Him to transform our lives into His image continuously, we cultivate a heart of gratitude. Developing this kind of gratitude requires that we come to grips with the truth that everything we have received - both blessing and suffering - is a gift from God. Henri Nouwen once remarked that "the discipline of gratitude is the explicit effort to acknowledge that all I am and have is given to me as a gift of love, a gift to be celebrated with joy."

However, in today's culture, it can be easy to believe the lie that the blessings in our lives are a result of our effort. When we fall into this trap, we miss out on the opportunity to thank God for His provision, and we rob God of the glory that He is due. Deuteronomy 8:17-18 NRSV reminds us that blessing doesn't come from our strength, "Do not say to yourself, "My power and the might of my own hand have gotten me this wealth." But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, so that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your ancestors, as he is doing today." The truth is that any blessing - financial or otherwise - that the Lord has provided you and me here on earth is not something we have earned or are entitled to but a gift from a gracious and loving heavenly Father.

But life is not just one long string of continuous blessings. We all go through seasons of suffering, some of us more than others. It is in these seasons that we need to be reminded of the words of the apostle Paul in his first letter to the Thessalonians, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NRSV). We are called to rejoice in all circumstances, not just when our life story goes according to how we scripted it. But is it really possible to be filled with gratitude in seasons of suffering? Well, yes and no. When we rely on our strength, it is simply impossible to live out Paul's instructions to "give thanks in all circumstances." But as followers of Jesus, we have not been left alone; the Holy Spirit living inside us continually works on our behalf, giving us strength to endure any suffering patiently with a heart of gratitude.

Thomas A. Kempis beautifully captures what a grateful heart transformed into the image of Christ looks like when he wrote: "Those who love Jesus for Himself and not for their own comfort bless Him in every trial and heartfelt anguish, just as they do in moments of great comfort. And even if He should never give them comfort, they would still always praise Him and always want to thank Him." In times of blessing and suffering, Jesus alone is more than enough.