Do you thank God for your good things?

We tend to think that the good things we have in life are results of our own hard work. But are they really?

Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s! (Psalm 105:2-5)

What has God done for you today? I’m not sure that’s a question we ask each other often enough. Because God is active and busy and fully engaged in our lives every moment of every day.

Now, some of us tend to think that the good things we have in life are results of our own hard work. Granted, there is some truth to that. When you work hard and do what’s right, blessings always follow. But is that actually a result of your work? Or is a result of God’s blessing?

The good things we have in life aren’t guaranteed to us. The world is too broken to work the way it’s supposed to. The truth is: Every good thing we have is a gift from God.

You can work and sacrifice and save and do everything right and still end up with nothing, because the world isn’t fair. But God is.

So, what has God done in your life today?

And I’m not just talking about waking you up or giving you air to breathe or food to eat. Did you wake up pain free today? Not everyone can say that. Did you wake up in a home that’s heated with clean air? Not everyone can say that. Do you have warm clothes to wear and safe water to drink and good food to eat? Not everyone can say that.

Are you driving your car to the grocery store to buy last minute stuff for your upcoming Thanksgiving feast? Are you squabbling with your parents or your children or other family members? Not everyone has those opportunities.

We all have so many good things in our lives so frequently that we take them all for granted. In this moment, right now, stop taking them for granted.

What has God done for you today?

Questions for Reflection:

• When was the last time you prayed before you ate a meal?

• How often do you stop to thank God for the good things He has given you?

• Why do you think it’s so difficult for us to acknowledge that God has given us the good things in our lives rather than them being a result of our own accomplishments?

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