What if Giving Thanks
is Only the Half of It?
Most of us desire lives of gratitude towards God and others. We’re all learning to weave gratitude into the fabric of our lives, not just special days and occasions. As we mature, we realize that while we might not always be thankful for the circumstances, we can always come to God and give thanks for who HE is in the midst of them. Sometimes our thankful expressions are shouted with joy - and in our Grace Spaces, sometimes whispered through tears. But what if giving thanks to God is only half of a lifestyle of gratitude? After we give thanks, are we pausing to consider God’s response? Until recently, I really hadn’t. But if our gratitude is an offering to God, a gift we give Him, why wouldn’t we want to experience His response when He receives it? That’s what we do with gifts in real life: we give them, we get to see the response and thanks is returned to us for our gift! Experiencing God’s response and receiving His thanks to us is often the missing half in our life of thanksgiving - and that missing half strengthens our personal relationship with Him, just as it does between our friends and family. So, the next time your gratitude bubbles up into words, or is offered as a gift of faith, trust and hope in the One who loves us at all times - take a moment to let God talk to you about how your thanksgiving impacts HIS heart. Then let Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit thank you! What are They thankful for in you and in your response? What do They appreciate about your choice to be grateful in this moment? Maybe consider writing your thanksgiving and then pausing to listen and write down what you feel God is thanking you for as well. What would change for us if we received thanks as freely as we give thanks?
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