How Gratitude Helps Us See God More Clearly

“I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart.” - Psalm 9:1

Glory All-Around

I wait for my morning coffee to finish brewing as I open the large blind in my living room picture window. I look past my cozy front porch to the horizon.  I gaze through the neighbor’s yards and in the distance, God’s glory breaks forth.  The dawn greets me with brilliant shades of pink and purple wisps. 

 What is it about a sunrise that captures my soul each day?   It’s newness. It’s life. The darkness is pushed back and God is simply showing off for me.  I hear Papa whisper, “I’m here. I’m with you. I hold this day and everything that will happen. I’ll never leave you.” The beauty is arresting as the light filters through low-lying clouds. All I can do is say, “thank you, God.”  

My first inclination each morning isn’t to grab my phone or rush headlong into my endless “to-do” list. I want to create space and remove all clutter that keeps me from God.  The first thing I want to do each day is to experience God. I’m on the lookout for His presence.  

I whisper my thanksgiving and make an earnest attempt to remain in gratitude.  I capture the sunrise image on my list as a reminder of God’s faithful presence. I make a habit of recording my thanks so my vision of God remains focused and pure, untainted by the cares of this world.

Gratitude Makes God Greater

Gratitude doesn’t deny our hard places; it simply reorients our hearts to the greatness of God. 

Gratitude is all about shifting gaze from self to God. We get it wrong when we think we have nothing to be thankful for.  We mix up the order and think, “well, if my life was going well, I too, could be thankful.” But the light heart knows joy comes in front of God’s rescue.  Ann Voskamp reminds us, “Joy proceeds the miracle.” Thanksgiving always comes before the Divine moves.

Scoffers often struggle with gratitude.  Grumbling and wallowing are easy.  It’s part of the human condition to focus on self, to not have the capacity to see beyond the here and now, to see with eyes of faith. 

The practice of gratitude helps us see more clearly.  It teaches us to notice God.  It softens our hearts and opens our eyes to God’s goodness all around.  Gratitude helps us find God in the middle of our muck.

To practice gratitude, we slow and become a noticer of beautiful things.  When we see beauty, we see God.  We see God in nature, in the smiles of our loved ones, in the smell of a good cup of coffee, in the inspired Word of God, in the light as it hits the wood floor, in the hug of a friend, in the kind words of a stranger. 

As we narrow in and notice, God expands.  Our focus on Him makes our troubles recede.  We don’t deny hardship, we simply elevate the greatness of God in the midst of it. As we notice, we welcome a fresh perspective; God’s perspective.

Peace, joy, and delight are a matter of focus.  They are the fruit of looking to God. As we turn to God, our cares become smaller while He becomes greater. Our vision is focused on seeing God.

Why make a list? Why write your gratitude down?  There’s power in recording what we see.  It makes it more tangible and believable.  It’s a reminder to continue to keep our eyes focused on God, to rise above the cares of the world, and truly see Him. The list reminds us of His involvement in our days. He’s near. He’s right here.

Clarity is sharpest for the thankful heart.

Do you see it?

Let’s pray.

Dear Papa, Give me eyes and a heart to see You more clearly each day.  Help me slow and notice the beauty all around placed by You.  Help me lift my eyes to really see You.  Give me the forethought to write it down to remind me of Your constant presence.  Help me have a thankful heart. Amen.

Still, struggling?

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