Ingratitude thwarts fellowship. Whether it be fellowship with God or fellowship with our family and Christian brothers and sisters, ingratitude will be like a tire with a slow leak.
In regards to our relationship with the Lord, ingratitude always comes with an accomplice or two. Lust rears its head because you aren’t grateful for the spouse God has given you. Envy arises because you refuse to thank the Lord for all that He has given you. Anxiety grabs your throat because you’ve neglected to offer up sincere praise to the Lord for the whole host of tendnermercies He’s shown you. Failure to regularly offer unto the Lord gratitude at every turn and in every season is an invitation to a whole host of other sins to come take up residence in your life.
But ingratitude also weakens earthly bonds of fellowship. A demanding husband who fails to praise his wife in the gates is a Pharaoh demanding brick without straw. A parent who gripes to their kids about how naughty they are is pouring sawdust in the gears. An employer who treats good employees by alway finding fault and never providing praise is adding a liability to his balance sheet.
Gratitude trains you to see glories and opportunities where you never saw them before. This in turn, means that being grateful is a force multiplier. Instead of finding all the faults in those around you, or grumbling about how difficult the circumstances are which God has given you, take the time this week to do two things each day. First, deliberately take a few minutes to pray to the Lord and list a handful of things you’re grateful to Him for. Secondly, on a daily basis thank someone in your life for something you appreciate about them. One last thing, be specific not vague.
Ben Zornes – February 4th, 2024
