For All The Things

Tolerate the weaknesses of those in the family of faith, forgiving one another in the same way you have been graciously forgiven by Jesus Christ. If you find fault with someone, release this same gift of forgiveness to them.  Colossians 3:13 TPT

God invites us to rethink everything we are and everything we do through the lens of mercy, through the mantle of gratitude. 

Holy Spirit clears the fog from our eyes and gives us a vision of the expansive grace that infiltrates our everyday story. 

John 14:15-17 NET If you love Me, you will obey My commandments. Then I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it does not see Him or know Him. But you know Him, because He resides with you and will be in you.

By the Lord’s unending grace. 

For others, this spirit-filled transformation may be a more gradual one that takes place over a lifetime. Whatever the experience, we cannot but be changed by the presence of Holy Spirit, and the gracious attitude He brings out of us for our interactions with others. 

When we choose to see the many ways God has provided for us in the past, it makes it really hard to be frustrated by the other ways we think He isn’t providing for us in this very moment. 

I notice this in my life - if I choose to focus on what God has done by His grace and is doing, the thing I’m frustrated by is instantly put into perspective. And I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the Lord of all that is all that was and all that will be. 

I think when we realize that Gods grace fills us with gratitude for Him it will flow out of us as gracious words and deeds to those around us, wow, every single day I am humbled by Holy Spirit and His teachings, His wisdom, His insights! 

No doubt there are many things we could look back on and say, “Only God.” I’m sure there were some close calls or other terrifying situations you just weren’t sure how they would go down. 

God we give You thanks for who You are, not only for what You have done, thank You for all the great and yes, even the uncomfortable things You have done. 

When we walk in a life of grace, again wearing our gratitude like a beautiful coat, we learn God isn’t just who we praise, but He IS our praise. He is everything.