It was a good morning (if I had seen it).

It was Monday morning, with no school. I awoke with the sun and not the normal weekday wake-up of cold darkness. Without an alarm or morning rush. No hurry to get out of the warm covers.

I wish I had woke up praising God for the bright sunrise, and that my first thoughts were to thank Him that I didn’t have to move out of my warm cocoon just yet.

But my heart was not waking to thank. 

 It was like I woke up with a …pre-planned plan to complain. The moment my feet hit the floor, I found myself focusing on my messed-up leg and spending the majority of the day worrying about future plans four months away.  

With my mind anywhere but in the now, my day’s hopeful to-do list was left mostly untouched. I seemed to forget that I could even walk, and that my life plan doesn’t belong to me. Instead, my spirit dwindled. I felt discouraged. My ungratefulness worked its bitter roots into my heart.

In the midst of my lowest moment, I felt the Holy Spirit nudge into my thoughts. Gentle, yet convicting.  

Where was my thanksgiving? My joy?

So I made an extra effort to read Scripture. To pray. I even made myself punch out a list of things I was thankful for on the computer. But it felt empty. Forced.

Because outside of my prayers, I was still focused on me.

 In the midst of my ‘thanksgiving,’ I was still dwelling on what I wanted and didn’t have. And then I read this:

 

“Habits are to the soul what veins are to the blood. The very course of our life depends on them. Random acts of greatness pale in comparison to habitual acts of faithfulness.” –Ann Koskamp

            Was I in the habit…of being ungrateful?

Thankfulness for only one breathe, in one day, does not change our hearts. Daily, joy-filled gratitude is what lifts our feet to high places. What gives light to let us see God’s glory.  What lifts our spirits.

“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken heart dries up the bones.” – Proverbs 17:22

A joyful heart is…good medicine? If Scripture IS the utmost truth, maybe there’s something missing with the world’s treatment of depression. Could learning a habit of thankfulness help overcome even the deepest of sorrow? Just a thought.

 “An unthankful heart is fertile soil for all kinds of sins.” – Warren Wiersbe

I think of where pride and selfishness come from—discontentment. Thinking we deserve more. When my heart demands more.   Perhaps thankfulness is the key to changing hearts that long to be more Christ-like; the water needed for selflessness and humility to grow.

Or to receive the blessing of real healing.  

 We see this in Luke 17 when Jesus heals ten lepers, but only one man returns to thank him, and Jesus replies:

“Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And Jesus said to him, “rise and go on your way; your faith has made you well” (v. 17-19).

The healed leper was blessed most by being made well in his soul. When Jesus replies, “your faith has made you well,” he implies a deeper sense of healing; salvation. But this story shows the leper being blessed more ways than just spiritually. This man witnessed Jesus speaking to him personally. And not only that, but the story of his gratitude was recorded in Scripture, for centuries of people to be taught by his simple return to say thank you. His gratefulness was blessed!

 But I don't mean to say there is an automatic relationship between blessings given and the amount of thankfulness we have.

Rather, being genuinely thankful shows we believe in a God who is MIGHTY to save us (Zephaniah 3:17). Thankfulness testifies our faith in a Savior who is always good, who fulfills his purpose for us (Psalm 59:8), who knows our sin yet chooses to move it as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12).

Thankfulness is evidence of a heart that trusts in a Creator’s love for us.

Of knowing and seeing His love is sweeter than all else.

I am thankful for my yesterday. That I didn’t see my list of demands met; the list that blinds my eyes from the present and captures my spirit in wonderland. I’m not Alice, I don’t belong there. Reality, right now, is your gift and my gift. Even if it’s the only thing we can think to thank Him for.  We breathe.

ALL the more reason to celebrate today is a new day.

“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.” – Lamentations 3: 22-26

Praying for you and I to taste and see His overflowing goodness today. It is here.