On long drives, I’m the weirdo who gazes out the window captivated by all the beauty along the way: the rolling hills, greenery for days, and boulders that never cease to amaze me.
Don’t get me started on the sunrise and sunset.
California, man. Gotta love it.
I don’t know when I first developed this sense of awe for God’s handiwork. All I know is I am regularly mesmerized by the scale of what He’s created and equipped us to create- roads that cut through mountains and stretch for thousands of miles, the most elaborate and extensive plumbing and electricity systems.
Like, what!?
I am so deeply grateful for the beauty and convenience of these things.
In Mark Batterson’s book, A Million Little Miracles, there’s a chapter on gratitude and holy curiosity that reminds me of the importance of living each day with immense gratitude for all things.
The book begins with Psalm 139: You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous- how well I know it!
This is another area of intense fascination and wonder for me.
I will never get over the fact that of all the billions of people who exist in the world, not a single face is replicated. Think about that. Billions and billions of different facial features, hair styles, body types, voices…mind-blowing!!
Whenever I’m out, these are the things I think about while awkwardly staring at strangers.
But in that verse, it says ‘Thank you for making me so complex’, which I think is lost on most of us.
When was the last time you thanked God for the ability to taste, see, and hear? Do you understand the nuanced details of how these things occur in the first place?
What about your ability to digest food, to lift, carry, move about the way you do? It’s all a miraculous creation and orchestra of God’s wisdom and attention to detail.
We should be praising Him for every little thing!
If this sounds extra to you, you’re likely missing out on the gift of experiencing true joy in your life.
Mark Batterson describes this as generic joy, a result of generic gratitude.
In his book, he shares the example of Orthodox Jews, who express a minimum of a hundred blessings every day. They don’t just go far and wide with gratitude, either- they go deep. For example, they give thanks before, after, and during meals.
This means being present to savor and enjoy the meal you are blessed with. This is something I’ve had to hammer down with my son- no phones at the table. It’s a terrible habit and removes the awareness and experience of enjoying and appreciating the food before you.
On top of counting blessings for each meal, the Orthodox Jews give a double blessing if the food is fresh and for the ability to smell and taste. Everything is noted and counted and praise is given endlessly.
The favor of God never ends and neither should our gratitude for it.
Thank you Jesus! These are three of my most favorite words to declare every day.
Here’s the deal- If we don’t take things for gratitude, we take them for granted- and taking things for granted is like stealing from God (p.82, A Million Little Miracles)
For several years, I practiced gratitude every single day. I spent 5 minutes every morning writing 3-5 things I was grateful for and after a while, I began to notice that I was waking up with ‘Thank you God’ on my lips.
I was learning to be grateful for things I never thought too much about before. During my morning stretches and showers, I thanked God for every small thing- my muscles, body parts, organs, hair, teeth- things that are truly miracles.
Someone else’s problem is our miracle…and vice versa.
Stop to think about that. There are so many people suffering with health issues and debilitating injuries, and yet here we are strong and healthy and we’re not stopping to count the blessings and be grateful?
Make it make sense.
Here’s another thought to ponder: Whatever you don’t turn into praise turns into pride. And until you count your blessings from the heart, you’re not ready to receive the next blessing.
Learning to praise God for the everyday miracles is the foundation of our spiritual growth and unless we practice it each day, you can expect to lose it.
So, what can you do? Where do you start?
For starters, you can keep a gratitude journal like I did. When you make a habit of practicing gratitude daily, you train your brain to notice daily blessings.
p.s I created this journal and I would love you to purchase one for you and a friend.
This turns into a cycle of gratitude that both causes blessings and is the effect of them.
If you’re someone who deals with anxiety (and we all do on occasion), you might be happy to learn that gratitude can be the cure.
It is impossible for gratitude and anxiety to coexist. Plain and simple. There’s actually a chemical response that takes place when we experience gratitude and the dopamine and serotonin that is produced as a result decreases anxiety by default.
Cool, right?
Something I found funny in the book is the author’s expression of one of his gratitude and worship rituals. When trees in his area change color, he claps for them and pats them on the bark, telling them how beautiful they are.
And while you may choose to be more subtle in your expression, the point is that when you begin to see all things as worthy of praise and gratitude, your life will change.
Your circumstances may not change- but YOU definitely will and that changes everything.
Let’s stop taking things for granted and start taking them for gratitude.
Pursu Agency