I have a question for you! Are you growing? 

I’m not talking about in size and I’m not even talking about your plants outside. I am asking if you are growing in gratitude?

Last week I challenged myself and anyone else who wanted to join me, to practice habits of gratitude. I suggested we write five things every day that we are thankful to God for. 

How far did you get? Shamefully, I got as far as the five things I wrote on my blog last week! Oh sure, I thank God throughout the week as I thought about giving him gratitude. I sat in church on Sunday and I thank him during prayer. I even got up several mornings during the week and thanked him for the day. But did I name five things every day, on purpose and offer thankfulness in my heart to develop a habit? No, absolutely not. I blew it!

I sadly allowed this “INSTANT” culture that I have allowed to seep into my character prevail.

We live in a world that is “INSTANT” driven.

INSTANT COMMUNICATION, we have cell phones that never leave our hands except to be transferred to a nightstand.

INSTANT SOCIAL MEDIA, we can make a response simply by clicking an emoji! One source even bears the name “INSTAGRAM!”

INSTANT POTS, that cook the food we dump into them in half the time as normal.

And INSTANT FOOD, better known as “FAST FOOD.” It is handed to us in an INSTANT through a drive-through window.

INSTANT has not just become second nature… It has in many cases become our very nature! We have become so accustomed to having everything in an INSTANT, that working hard and developing a habit towards some thing can seem like a flat out failure!

As sincere as we may be about having GRATITUDE, and giving praise to God, it can become an almost impossible task!

We cannot simply push a button, flip a switch, drive through and pick it up or have it delivered to our doorstep! Therefore, it can easily get tossed in the “non-valuable“ pile!

GRATITUDE is not some thing that happens instantaneously! it is some thing that is developed, it is a process and it takes time! It is possibly, the most valuable trait we could possess.

If we would stop trusting the world, and begin trusting the Word of God, we would soon see that developing a habit of gratitude and growing in gratitude, is as vital to our well-being as breathing in air!

“Shout  joyfully to the Lord all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.”  

Psalm 98:4

We are commanded to shout, to break out in song, to rejoice and to sing our praises to our great God! If we his people don’t, then his earth, his creation will!

To praise our God should be as easy as breathing or eating to us. No one should have to remind me to breathe! And no one has ever had to remind me to eat! Yet again, and again, and again I naturally fall into complaining and forget to praise my God. He is so deserving!

A form of gratitude is praise. Praise is defined as, “The offering of grateful homage in words or song, as an act of worship.“

So this week, I am determined to do better than last! I am determined to grow in gratitude and to develop a character of praise! I am also determined to fight against the INSTANT culture that I live in and take the time that is needed to Praise my Great God who is SO deserving!

TRUTH BOMB

GROWING IN GRATITUDE GOES AGAINST THE “INSTANT” CULTURE WE LIVE IN!

Any one else need a “re-do?” If so will you join me?

I AM GRATEFUL FOR YOU AND FOR SECOND, THIRD, AND FOURTH CHANCES!

Speak Truth Love