ENCOURAGEMENT FOR TODAY:

How can I be grateful when I don’t feel grateful?

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34 (NIV)

Sometimes being grateful means choosing to see what is instead of being blinded by what isn’t. It’s a tough choice in some moments. Brutal, actually. But it’s worth fighting through. No matter what we’ve been going through lately, we can thank God for the gift of this day. Because here’s what we’re learning: God gives us grace today. In Matthew 6:34 “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” In Bible, the heading Naboot vWeoMrrya.t”tIht’eswno6c:2o5in-c3i4deanlcseo tsoatyhsa,t “tDhios verse, the last verse of this entire section, warns us against looking to tomorrow.

It’s not that we don’t want to plan for the future and be discerning about how to handle the next responsibly. That’s wise and good. It’s just that we don’t want to become so stressed, fearful and full of anxiety about tomorrow that we miss the grace and goodness of this beautiful day. You might say, “How do I know God will give me grace for tomorrow?”. 1 Peter 5:10-11. He is the God of all grace. Not some of it. So knowing this, we can receive both the grace and the gifts of today without missing one minute of its unexpected treasure. We can celebrate every bit of joy that is waiting to be found. We can choose to believe that gratitude isn’t something we have access to only when our lives are perfect. No, choosing gratitude right in the middle of what’s hard isn’t denial. It is choosing to do only what can be done today.