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Be Thankful For Today
The world is constantly changing, and sometimes we cannot keep up with these changes. While grappling with today’s novelties, we are overwhelmed with the expectations of tomorrow. This overwhelming feeling makes the future uncertain and bleak to many. However, our hearts could be in a better place if we first decide to show gratitude to God for the blessings of today.
In Luke 1:46-55, Mary sings a song of gratitude to God. Remember that she had just visited Elizabeth, and before visiting Elizabeth, Angel Gabriel informed her she would conceive and give birth to Jesus. This news greatly troubled Mary and rightly so because she was not married but only betrothed to Joseph. How was she going to conceive without being married? How was she going to explain this to the world? Who would believe her? How will this affect Joseph, and how will he and her family handle the shame of this unfamiliar phenomenon? There were so many unanswerable questions about the future that could have gotten Mary worried. However, she chose to be grateful to God at that moment. She said, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (Luke 1:46-47).
In times of uncertainty about the future, do not lose your gratitude and your praise. When you are worried and anxious about the future, it could be a sign that you have forgotten to be thankful to God for today. When you show gratitude to God for the present, you affirm your trust in God to walk with you into the future. Show me a man who is deeply worried about tomorrow, and I will show you a man who may have failed to be thankful for the blessings of today. When you are worried about tomorrow, you fail to live today; you cannot see or appreciate all the blessings and goodness of today because you are already in tomorrow. God gives us strength for each day. He gives us what we need for the moment. We only have today because God allows none of us to live in tomorrow until it becomes today. Therefore, learn to live in the complete joy of today and be thankful to God for it.
Prayer
Father Lord, give me a heart of thanksgiving and teach me to embrace the joys and blessings you have given me today. Amen.
