Resolved to be grateful

After being officially on the Contributors List for all these months, here is my first post at last. While naturally a writer, I'm not yet much of a blogger, I've realized. But now with a website of my own containing some now-and-again meanderings, here we go. Thanks, blog team, for not giving up on me!

I was reflecting this morning about why gratitude so easily slips out of the grasp of the human soul. A grateful heart is joy-giving. With such a reward wrapped up with it, why does it escape us so often? What snatches our gratitude away?

I’m realizing that sitting behind my computer can easily become a gratitude-snatcher. My attempt to stay on top of emails, the website that needs tweaking, endless work that leaves me perched on my rather inadequate desk chair—these slowly work to dull my soul.

Or perhaps I’ve become all too accustomed to an adrenaline buzz in my fast-moving world. And to the satisfaction that a 'job well done' generates for this over-achiever.

So today as I’ve granted myself the freedom to slow down and listen to the sounds of spring that are murmuring around me, what I hear instead are echoes of dissatisfaction emerging from my soul.

This morning I reflected on the widow giving her two tiny copper coins to the temple offering. Of her faithfulness to give though it could make so little difference. And her faith that God would provide the next meal that her coins could have purchased. That made me think back to last week’s Time Magazine article on resolving world poverty, and I sealed my decision to join in with my little bit, my tiny copper coins in the big picture of things.

Gosh, I have so much. How can it be that gratitude doesn’t overflow from my soul? Privileged to have been born in the prosperous West. With no concern for my next meal – only for how this soul will stay satisfied.

So I pulled myself out of my desk chair, turned the computer off, and headed out on my bike. Enjoying the warmth and the sunshine of this early spring day, I began to speak out the very things which I wanted to surface from my heart. Small expressions of thanksgiving for the blessings I experience. The simple things. And the big things that have grown familiar. For a God who loves me and died for me and who is forever faithful.

And before I knew it, gratitude had filled in the limpness in my heart. Lethargy gave way to an overflowing of praise to my God who is so much more than worthy of receiving it. Once again I was in step with who I want to be and with my God who makes life more than worthwhile. Once again I was living true to the verse I’ve claimed for years:

Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,
who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord.
They rejoice in your name all day long;
they exult in your righteousness.
For you are their glory and strength. Psalm 89:15-17a

Thanks, Lord, for being greater than these emotions of mine! Elizabeth