Seeing Life Through Eyes of Gratitude
The blessings of the Lord or new every morning. Sometimes we don’t always recognize them. Either they come disguised under the cloak of grief or we just pass them by in the rush of the day. If we were to take the time to look closely we would see the blessings of God are uniquely woven into each moment of our day.
We see life through our own set of eyes (have you thanked Him for yours?). My eyes are focused on capturing moments of beauty in nature. That’s how He wired me . . . to stop, look, and listen for Him in the ordinary. The tiniest of flowers breaking through the debris-covered ground often gets ignored and walked past . . . or walked on if we have our eyes fixed on the next thing to do and the next place to go. For me, my gaze is mostly downward; partly because I’m not all that sure-footed so I’m always watching where I walk. But it’s in that eyes down position that I see the tiniest of flowers amidst the debris and I marvel at how something so small could push through all that dirt and debris, only to look up in praise to God for a brief season and then vanish away. It’s those moments that whisper to my heart with a holy hush and I respond softly, “Thank You.”
To live a thanks-filled life is to live a life that sees God’s hand in every breath I take. A thankful life sees the blessings and simple pleasures of a gentle breeze or watching birds collect their bounty in their beaks.
It’s being thankful I can ride in an air-conditioned car on a hot summer’s day, and have heat when it’s cold.
It’s being thankful for having a washing machine of my own so I don’t have to go to the laundry mat or wash along the water’s edge like so many women around the world.
It’s a simple life of reflecting on one verse of Scripture at a time and enjoying the richness and reward of its every word. How often have I raced through a passage just so I could check off I had my “quiet time” this morning from the to-do list? His Word is a treasure trove of wisdom that will yield wealth and reward in a whole new dimension.
When I consider the word wealth, I tend to think of material wealth, of having money and possessions. But what about having a wealthy spirit? Do I allow each word from his Word to fill me so my spirit is overflowing and spilling out upon those around me? Do I mull on the treasures hidden in each verse?
Thou wilt make known to me the path of life; in Thy presence is fulness of joy; in Thy right hand are pleasures forever.” Psalm 16:11
According to this verse, I can have joy ever-present in my life – ALWAYS – even in the hard times. In His presence is the fulness of joy. He is always present, therefore I can always have joy. The joy and the goodness of God ARE the joy and the good in life. What more could I ever desire? I have everything I need right there in His presence, in His Word.
I’m indeed a blessed woman. I have much to be thankful for when I choose to see life through the eyes of gratitude.
Choosing to be grateful in every circumstance is an expression of trust. It means saying thank you before we even know the outcome because we trust that God knows how to give good gifts. It also means thanking God for gifts we wouldn’t choose.
How has He blessed you today?
Lord, give me eyes to see your hand of blessing in my life. Help me to recognize that your blessings to me aren’t necessarily in adding things to my life, but rather it’s found in your nearness. Help me to live a thankful life, a life of gratitude and contentment even if all I have left in this world is You. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Amen to that, Marsha. You are right; we always have joy because of His love for us. May we see His faithfulness every minute of the day.
Thank you, Iris.