Gratitude

"Thou hast given so much to me, give me one thing more, a grateful heart. Not thankful when it pleaseth me as if thy blessings had spare days, but such a heart whose pulse may be thy praise." George Herbert

I wrote this quote on my mirror a long time ago (like 5 years), but I keep it up there because it is so profound to me. God has given me so much - a great family, a great house, good health, a wonderful job, SALVATION, the fruits of the spirit, and these are just the big things. Every day He pours out His love on me in the small details of my life. I am amazed by how much He loves me and wants His best for my life.

As much as He gives me, I need to ask for one thing more...a grateful heart. How do we let ourselves become so ungrateful? Now I would never say, "God I'm just not thankful for what you've done for me. I wish you'd do a little more." However, I have been known to long for more than I have, to be discontent with my roles in life, to covet other things, to be irritable and grouchy with my husband/kids, and to murmur and complain. Obviously we are not perfect (it's why we need a savior) and I know that I'm going to be irritable and grouchy on occassion, but don't all of those things stem from an ungrateful heart? What if we were to focus on being grateful and all of the things that we have to be thankful for every day. I'm not talking about giving God a quick thanks, but truly living a life from a heart that is overwhelmed with thankfulness. I was reading in Acts today about Stephen being martyred. Even in dying, he was grateful for his savior. How many times a day do I lose focus of all that God has done for me over the dumbest things like having to wait in line, getting cut off while driving, kids acting out (at work and my own), not being able to buy something that I want to buy...

The quote petitions God that we would not be thankful just when it pleases us (you know, when things are going well) AS IF GOD'S BLESSINGS HAD SPARE DAYS. That part blows me away every time I read it. God's blessings are never spare. He never says, "Today I'm not going to bless Lesli." His blessings are there, we just have to look, to get our focus off of the things that are not right, and to embrace what He's done for us. It's only then that we will live the abundant life that He's prepared for us and have a heart whose "pulse may be His praise!"