On being grateful

Remember, thinking about being grateful is not being grateful.

Let me give you an example.

Long before this universe came into being, God thought about it, but those thoughts did you and me no good until God went public with his thoughts, until he expressed his thoughts with action and brought this universe into being.

The same is true with gratitude.

Thinking about how blessed you are means little (except to you) until you express your gratitude.

Thinking about how much a person’s friendship and support means to you does that person no good; it is expressing your gratitude to them in word and deed that makes the difference.

Having your heart swell up in gratitude at the mercy and grace of God to allow you to be born with a strong mind and body means little to God or your fellowman until you translate that gratitude into action by leveraging your talents, abilities, and blessings for the good of others and in bringing glory (publically) to the God that provided them.

Hopefully you get the picture.

• The ONE THING for today: Be grateful, don’t just think about it.

1 Timothy 1:12 (NLT)

¹² I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him,