“He has made everything beautiful and appropriate in its time. He has also planted eternity [a sense of divine purpose] in the human heart [a mysterious longing which nothing under the sun can satisfy, except God]” Ecclesiastes 3:11a (AMP)
It is God’s desire that you live a life of gratitude. Having a heart of gratitude means acknowledging God as your source, and that all things come from Him. It is understanding that God is your provider and appreciating His love.
Due to the seemingly repetitive nature of living, it’s easy for us to forget that life is a gift from God. It is His breath that literally keeps us alive, else we would be long gone (Genesis 2:7). You were created in the image of God, wonderfully and beautifully made (Psalms 139:14 ), this ought to stir praise in you continually.
In addition, not only are you alive physically, you are alive spiritually. God saved you before you knew you needed saving and poured His Spirit into you (Romans 5:6-8, 8:11) . You ought to be grateful for the life you have received in Him.
How then can we thank God for the gift of life that He has given us?
First, by acknowledging that He is God (Psalm 100:3) and thus living our lives in appreciation of His grace. We do this by living for His purpose. Jesus died for us to have eternal life; so we who have received this life must live for Him (2 Corinthians 5:15). Paul puts it this way:
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 NKJV)
Put simply, if God gave you the life that you live now, you must live that life for Him. To do otherwise would be a show of ingratitude. We live our lives in gratitude to God by spending it on His chief desire, that is the salvation of all men (I Timothy 2:4).
God wants all men saved and our reasonable response will be to give our lives for this purpose (Romans 12:1). You can do this by talking to others about Christ, giving to the cause of the Gospel, serving in your local assembly, using your influence for the propagation of the Gospel, praying for the church and so on. These and many more are ways by which you can make Christ known.
Gratitude to God is not just in songs or words, it’s also in the way you live your life. Remember, it is by His grace that you are here. All that you have and all that you are is by His grace. In view of this, give thanks to God for your life, by living a life of purpose.
Bible Reading Plan: Psalms 81, 88