“I will exalt you, LORD, for you rescued me.” (Psalm 30:1 NLT)
We take so much for granted--the air we breathe, clean drinking water, shelter from the elements, food in the fridge, electricity, the ability to walk, run, think, read...the list is endless. Yet, we tend to obsess over what we don’t have, while ignoring the blessings we do have. Cultivating a spirit of gratitude allows us to focus on our bounty rather than on our disappointments and deficiencies. A filter of thankfulness diffuses bitterness and improves our outlook on life.
There are many who attribute their blessings to good fortune, hard work, knowing the right people, specific talents, or their environment. This makes sense. If you are living in a developed country and were born into privileged circumstances, you may imagine that you got lucky. In contrast, if you were born into under-resourced surroundings, you may blame everything on bad luck. You may be grateful for all that is good in your life. You may also grumble about all the bad breaks you have had. This is where most of us fall on the spectrum of gratitude--a realistic, worldly perspective that fails to recognize God’s part in the equation.
Praise takes the spirit of thankfulness to the next level. Instead of a general attitude of gratitude, or attributing everything to luck, genetics, or hard work--we give God the credit. Praise allows us to trust God during pleasant experiences as well as during adversity. We exalt Him, recognizing Him as the source of all power. We worship, bowing down in acceptance to His will and wisdom. We glorify Him, reminding ourselves and others of His greatness.
Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me! (Psalm 66:20 NLT)
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