A Heart of Gratitude: Gratitude for the Little Things

There are days when I’m just so tired that I don’t want to get up.  However, I have responsibilities and am not afforded the luxury of sleeping in.

For a long time, I would grumble, but I’ve lately discovered to be thankful for the little things and to ask God to give me the strength and to get up.

There are so many little things that I can be thankful for:

• I have a job
• I woke up this morning
• I have an alarm clock
• Coffee is brewing
• I have a house over my head
• I have heat, instead of being out in the cold
• I have a warm shower
• I have clean clothes to wear
• I have a car to drive

I could go on and on.

We live in a society where we complain about all we do not have or want.  Yet, there are so many living in third world countries that do not have even a tenth of what we take for granted on a daily basis.

If you watch the videos of the children opening their Christmas Shoe Boxes, notice how their faces light up at the gifts they receive.  These gifts are often items we take for granted or easily disregard, but to these children these items are the world.

King David did not often have an easy life.  He lived on the run for years, took another man’s wife and saw his sons murder one another.  But he wrote “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. Give thanks to the God of gods, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.”  {Psalm 136:1-3}

David reminded us to give thanks to the God of gods and Lord of Lords.  Why?

Because His loving kindness is everlasting.

How often do we do this with our own salvation.   We are entering the Christmas season

Do you enjoy the little things?

and the celebration of Jesus birth.  He came to the world, so that He could eventually die for our sins and rise from the grave.   Jesus gave us the greatest gift anyone could ever be given.  That is the gift of salvation and eternal life.

Yet, we live in a fallen world where often we take the Lord’s name in vain, laugh when others mock Him, or turn a blind eye to a fellow brother or sister in need.

Robert Brualt said “Enjoy the little days, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”

How many little things did you later realize were big things?