gratitude

It’s so easy to spot in our kids… entitlement, discontent, the constant longing for more.

One purchase at the store elicits, “Oh man, I wish I could have bought both things!”

One hour of tv is a surefire recipe for “What? That’s all?”

But dissatisfaction is no respecter of age. And we moms are just as susceptible to all forms of greed as our children.

The irony of the upcoming holidays is that we profess joy while scouring sales or envying another’s “perfect life,” always looking for the next thing to make us happy.

It doesn’t take much introspection to dismay ourselves. Could we really be this shallow? We conceal it more skillfully than our children, but our hearts tell us it’s true. Yes, we love Jesus. But couldn’t we have just this one other thing too?

It’s a poison, this discontent. None of us are immune, and there’s only one antidote.

A pure, sweet water, served from the simplest of cups, that promises to quench our thirst if we could just dare to believe it’s better than all the other exciting “drinks” with their gimmicky names and umbrellas and whipped creams and drizzles.

Gratitude.

A refreshing realization that our cup is full.

That God pursued us with His goodness. That the Creator humbled Himself for us. That He loved us. Claimed us. Redeemed us from Satan and sin’s grasp.

A remembrance that through Christ, we are free.

Free from the love of money. Free from slavery to the flesh. Free to live and love with abandon. Free to dream God’s dreams instead of our own and to serve with humility, because we know that our Father sees what is done in secret and will reward openly for eternity.

Gratitude that God is Emmanuel, with us. That He’ll never leave or forsake us.

Gratitude that He sees the sparrow and lilies and us and all our needs. Gratitude that He is the God who provides.

This antidote is life-giving, energizing, transforming, and must be taken daily. Hourly. Moment-by-moment. And while results may vary, the greatest successes come to those who drink most deeply.

It’s not just a day. It’s not just a catchphrase. Thanks-giving changes the very course of our lives.

Instead of wearing ourselves out for more, for better, for cuter, for skinnier, for more successful, we can finally see what is and truly live.

We see that the gifts we’ve been given are precious. That they aren’t meant to be compared to the gifts He gave others, for they are perfect and meant for us right here and right now.

When we stop chasing what we don’t have and slow down long enough to see what is; when we take the time to really see, it won’t actually be so hard to feel it. To let go of the striving and find peace, joy, hope.

Gratitude. Remembering that He who owes us nothing has given us everything.

An antidote we’ll want to share with everyone around us in the season ahead. (Especially those sweet kiddos!)

by Jennifer Ebenhack