A grateful servant

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. (Melody Beattie)

A synonym for gratitude is contentment. Ever try feeling thankful for something when all you want is something else? It is hard to be grateful when you are discontent with what you have already. It is much easier to be grateful when you have found great contentment in the much you already have received!

What can I give back to God for the blessings he’s poured out on me? I’ll lift high the cup of salvation—a toast to God! I’ll pray in the name of God; I’ll complete what I promised God I’d do, and I’ll do it together with his people. When they arrive at the gates of death, God welcomes those who love him. Oh, God, here I am, your servant, your faithful servant: set me free for your service! I’m ready to offer the thanksgiving sacrifice and pray in the name of God. I’ll complete what I promised God I’d do, and I’ll do it in company with his people, In the place of worship, in God’s house, in Jerusalem, God’s city. Hallelujah! (Psalm 116:12-19)

God's blessings are actually innumerable. You could try to count them, but you'd forget more than a few along the way. No one is able to recount the magnitude of his blessings with accuracy - there are just too many! Even with all these blessings, it amazes me just how discontented we can become. We can do little in return for all these blessings, but we can develop a grateful and appreciative heart that actually 'learns' contentment. Yes, we have to learn it - it doesn't come naturally to us - we are always looking for more. As our psalmist points out, we can respond with right actions, a right heart, and a worshipful spirit. While this seems like very little in comparison to what we have been given, God finds great joy in this type of response to his many blessings!

Do you see the other response of a grateful heart in this passage? It is when our psalmist asks God to set him free so he may serve as God desires him to serve. Did you know it is actually a 'sign' of a grateful heart to be willing to serve another? To be in service for the King of Kings - being about whatever it is he asks you to do - this is one of the greatest ways we can show how grateful we are for all of his grace-blessings! It isn't service out of obligation, but service out of appreciation. Appreciation of the many blessings - of his grace, love, peace, and presence resident within us. Where is God asking for your service today? It could be he is asking you to reveal just how grateful you are for the many blessings he has already given and the many more that are still to come. Serve with a grateful heart and see how much this blesses God! Just sayin!