Recently I’ve been reading Stand Against the Wind by Erwin McManus. It is a brilliant book filled with a lot of one-liners that exude so much truth they almost punch you in the gut. One quote I came across that really impacted me was this about gratitude.
“When we are grateful, we are most fully alive. Gratitude allows us to absorb every possible pleasure from a moment.”
It reminded me about how much joy I miss in each of life’s moments because I am not thankful. Whether in a situation that is dirty, mundane, offensive or frustrating, I must choose to be thankful for that moment and choose to see God in it. If we can be continually thankful for even the small things that God gives us – life, sight, senses, relationships, shelter, community, and his many provisions- how much more pleasure will we receive in each of life’s moments whether beautiful or complex.
I thought this clip was a great example of absorbing every possible pleasure from a moment. Here are two ladies that we work with at Ithemba, our after-school program, and Trinos, the youth director of Ithemba church, washing dishes. It’s an everyday job that is usually dirty and doesn’t come with a lot of rewards. Yet in the moment, they choose to worship God because they are thankful. Most likely thankful for their lives, for God’s provisions, for their health. Whatever it is, as soon as they choose to worship God, they receive joy. They are filled with pleasure in this very mundane moment because they are grateful.
McManus also said,
“Gratitude fuels optimism and inspires hope.”
In this clip the ladies are so optimistic that they challenge and inspire me to be grateful in each of life’s moments. They bring hope to all of us that optimism can prevail in a world where pessimism is the norm.
” And you will joyfully give thanks to the Father who has made you able to have a share in all that He has prepared for His people in the Kingdom of light.” Colossians 1:12
I LOVE that book! The youth group I help out at did small groups on it 😀
I miss you guys a lot…
make good choices 🙂
Cubby- keep trying! I’ll be standing by my phone until it rings with your call. Ortberg’s “The Life You’ve Always Wanted” had some similar thoughts on gratitude/joy, in case you need/want more food on your current journey of gratefulness. And of course Jerry Garcia was also pretty “grateful” if you like audio instead of the written word.