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Cultivating an Attitude of Gratitude: Unwrapping God’s Greatest Gift

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November 1, 2024

The holiday season is a time of giving and receiving. We exchange gifts as tokens of appreciation, hoping to bring joy to those we love. But have you ever considered how your response to a gift can reveal a lot about your character? Imagine giving a friend a thoughtful gift, only to find out later that they discarded it or gave it away. How would you feel? You’d probably feel disappointed and perhaps a little betrayed if you’re anything like me. Any future “thank you” would seem fake, and you may even question the sincerity of the relationship.

It’s easy to see the lack of gratitude in this scenario, but it’s a glimpse into how we treat God. He has given us so many blessings and the greatest gift of all: His son, Jesus Christ. Yet, how often do we treat His sacrificial gift with indifference or even disdain?

Every gift from God is an act of love. It cannot be earned and it’s not deserved. It is simply a result of His nature; His goodness and kindness towards us. But, how often do we take His gifts for granted? We may acknowledge God with our lips, but do we truly appreciate the value of what He has given us?

Just like we respond to human gifts in different ways, we also respond to God’s gifts with varying degrees of gratitude. Some of us may be quick to express our thanks verbally, but our actions reveal a different story. Others may struggle with feelings of guilt or unworthiness, believing that we don’t deserve God’s grace or goodness towards us. When we disregard God’s gifts, we not only dishonor Him but we also miss out on living in the fullness of being His son or daughter.

The next time that you receive a gift, I challenge you to express your gratitude sincerely and show appreciation through your actions, not just words. Honor the giver by assuming a posture of thankfulness and watch how the Lord softens your heart. There’s something about cultivating gratitude that leads to deep healing and transformation. May we all be like the one of ten who returned (Luke 17:11-19).

Ten Men Healed
11 While traveling to Jerusalem, he passed between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he entered a village, ten men with leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
14 When he saw them, he told them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And while they were going, they were cleansed.
15 But one of them, seeing that he was healed, returned and, with a loud voice, gave glory to God. 16 He fell facedown at his feet, thanking him. And he was a Samaritan.
17 Then Jesus said, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Didn’t any return to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And he told him, “Get up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.”

Luke 17:11-19 CSB


This month, we are focusing on Cultivating Gratitude. Over the next 30 days, join us on our social media channels as we focus on 30 days of gratitude. We will have focused prayer and exhortation to help us honor God and posture our hearts toward Him in gratitude.

Sabrian Enoch
Sabrian Enoch

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