` Gratitude

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  One of the causes of anxiety and anguish is focusing on what we lack rather than on what we have.

Take a simple glass of water. Is it really so simple? Have you ever stopped to consider what a marvel it represents? What would life — your life — be without access to that glass of water? Have you ever paused to appreciate the wonder of the world’s water supply and the perfection of the water cycle — manifested every time it rains, every time you drill into the earth and find crystal-clear water just meters below the surface?

In fact, every time we are about to drink a glass of water, we are invited to pause and reflect by Whose world all things came into existence. By appreciating the magnitude and blessing that a simple glass of water represents, we can amplify our gratitude and find wonder in all the other simple and not-so-simple things in life that we are privileged to enjoy.

Gratitude has two dimensions: 1) feeling fortunate for what we have;
(2) acknowledging the kindness and love of God who gave it to us.

By not enjoying the blessings that abound around us, we are, in effect, rejecting the love and generosity of the One who created them for us. By not enjoying them, we are not just depriving ourselves of pleasure—we are depriving God of His own pleasure.

Imagine a mother who spends hours preparing a beautiful, nourishing meal for her family. When dinnertime comes and everyone sits down to eat, who enjoys it more? The children eating or the mother watching them eat? The more the children enjoy it, the more the mother delights.

God created this extraordinary world with food that is not only nourishing but delicious because He loves us and wants us to enjoy it. He wants us to know how much He loves us.

Before enjoying something “simple,” take a moment to reflect on how incredibly wondrous it is, and how great an expression of love it represents.
                                                      That’s Gratitude!