The Lost Art of Gratitude

Gratitude: noun; 1. the quality or feeling of being grateful or thankful

When my family lived in Iowa we went through some tough times. Times that can only be described as times of trial and testing. I remember one Sunday when we were at church as a family, a song was sung that broke my parents. It was a Nichole Nordeman song called “Gratitude.” The verses are sung as requests to the Lord and then the chorus offers these powerful words, food for thought.

“But maybe not, not today

Maybe You'll provide in other ways

And if that's the case…

We'll give thanks to You

With gratitude

For lessons learned in how to thirst for You

How to bless the very sun that warms our face

If You never send us rain.”

            I never understood why my parents were so broken and moved by this particular song on that Sunday. I was mostly embarrassed that *gasp* my parents were crying in church… in front of everyone. As I sit here, though, in the midst of my messy, insane, stressful, beautiful life I am struck by the same feeling as I listen to and read these lyrics. What I failed to understand when I was younger was my deep deep need for Christ.

            I knew that I needed Christ to get into Heaven, but I didn’t understand how much I would need Him in my daily walk. I have spent a lot of years saying, “I trust you, God,” and then proceeding to try to work things out on my own… just in case God doesn’t come through. I sit here tonight and all I can think is, “this song does not reflect the prayer and attitude of my heart… and it needs to.”

            Philippians 4:4-7 says this, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

            I may not be where I need to be. I still don’t surrender completely to the will of God, but I now understand the importance of gratitude and of thankfulness. Rejoicing in the Lord always is a difficult task, especially in the face of trials and testing, but something that I have learned through my parents’ transparency and brokenness is that the Lord is faithful… always, and that is something in which I can fully put my hope and trust.