The Power Of Gratefulness

I once helped a young woman launch her business in our small town. She had just moved to the area and didn’t know anyone, so I promoted her business to all my colleagues and even put her business cards in my office. I asked my friends to promote her as well. I showed her the mechanics of running a small business. Within a year, she was more successful than she’d ever imagined. Suddenly, she didn’t seem to have time for me. She wouldn’t return my calls or even acknowledge my texts or emails. When I saw her in public, she barely acknowledged my presence. Sadly, her business tanked. I wasn’t sure why until I heard from her customers that she had never shown one shred of gratefulness to them as customers. She was condescending and made them feel as if she had done them a big favor by serving them. Even though she was very good at her profession, she had never learned the power of gratefulness. 

God used this lady to teach me a powerful lesson about gratefulness in my own life: 

Ungratefulness robs us of the goodness God wants to lavish on us.

When we are entitled, unthankful, and unappreciative—good people avoid us. Worse yet—when we are unthankful towards God—the Bible says, we become complete fools, stumbling in the darkness because we’re far from His light:

“Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools.” 

Romans 1:21-22

God has given us far more than we can even comprehend. When we fail to be thankful to Him, we become puffed up and BELIEVE we don’t need Him. Just like the young lady didn’t think she needed the community that had made her successful. The fact is, without God—Who makes everything and sustains everything—we are nothing. We must NEVER FORGET:

ALL of our success comes from God!

The Bible says plainly:

“Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. EVERY good gift and EVERY perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”

James 1:16-17

‭‭ ‭Your success, your health, your possessions, and EVERYTHING that gives your life meaning—it ALL comes from God! Do you think YOU can accomplish even one thing in your life—without God holding everything together and giving you breath? Don’t ignore His calling! Begin to give thanks throughout the day to God for the innumerable blessings He is giving you!

My friend, thankfulness lowers our bucket into God’s abundant well of blessings; unthankfulness cuts the rope to our bucket.

When I later ran into the young lady I had helped, she was working the fast-food drive-thru window at a chain restaurant. I could see she was bitter. Since she wasn’t busy, we chatted for a few minutes. It was clear she was not using any of her training or talents in her current job, nor was she making the money she’d made when she was in business for herself. Ungratefulness had taken her out of the race she was destined to run. Her talents had not changed; her mind had been blinded. Unthankfulness was making a fool out of her because her talents had not changed at all; rather, the blindness of darkness had convinced her that she was a victim. What a waste! That’s the blindness of ungratefulness—not just with God—but with life in general.

What a reminder this was for me to be thankful—I did not want to let ungratefulness blind me and rob me of my God-given destiny.

Aren’t you grateful that God is so patient and merciful with our ungrateful hearts. He desires our joy. He continues to shower us with His goodness to draw us to Himself. When we begin to count our blessings—and integrate gratefulness into every part of our life—it is powerful. Why? 

A thankful heart is enlightened and empowered by God, Who is “the Father of Lights” and never changes.

“The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”

Psalms 50:23

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