Michele Howe - Grace & Gratitude for Everyday Life

Introduction

A book is born in the mind of an author when they personally sense a felt need and then observe others struggling in similar fashion. This book, Grace & Gratitude for Everyday Life, was first conceived in my heart and mind when I discovered the life-changing power of saying thank you to God no matter what the circumstance. This simple yet often difficult response is paramount in equipping us as Christ-followers to live as overcomers as we journey through life. Im convinced of it. As we learn to make grace-filled gratitude our default response to every situation we face, we will discover that Gods amazing peace envelops us from every side.

Instead of grumbling or grousing when we are disappointed or displeased, however, the apostle Paul encourages us to do as follows:

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. (Phil. 2:14)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:67)

Giving thanks, no matter what is happening all around us (or within us), isnt optional. Its simple obedience. And we know from countless passages throughout Scripture that God expects obedience from his childrennot to harm us, but to make us both whole and holy.

On the worst of days, when we have a hard time finding something to be thankful about, its always helpful to have some perspective. For example, do you have safe drinking water? More than one billion people in the world dont. Do you have enough food? More than 800 million dont. Do you have good eyesight, good hearing, decent clothes to wear, employment, family or friends who care about you, a safe place to live? The list goes on. If you think hard enough, youll soon discover that you always have plenty of wonderful reasons to offer up thanks to your heavenly Fatheryour very breath of life is one of them! The problem is that most of us are in our own heads too much. We miss out on whats going on around usespecially in the beauty of nature, through a breathtaking sunset or the scent of a rose. All around us, Gods grace showers us. And for this, we should indeed be grateful.

Throughout the pages of Grace & Gratitude, youll discover how ordinary men and women have learned to give thanks in the face of suffering, trials, and faith-testing obstacles. Youll see that as they leaned in toward Jesus for the grace and strength to carry on, they were transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. My prayer is that we all become humble students of Gods word, and that we take him at his word and trust him hour by hour. He is indeed equally worthy of both our trust and our obedienceand, of course, our undying thanks!

Chapter 1

Why Grace & Gratitude?

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.

Philippians 2:1415

Gratitude never comes from avoiding difficulty but from finding yourself sustained through it. The degree of joy rises to the degree of gratitude, and the level of gratitude corresponds to the level of Gods grace experienced in our suffering. Gods sustaining providence brings relief, even when life becomes unspeakably difficult. Cultivating thankfulness today will allow us to cling to Gods goodness and mercy in our darkest hours.

Randy Alcorn