One of the most important parts of your spiritual life is gratitude , and I am going to tell you why . What's up , guys ? This is Ben Pierce , and this is Provoked and Inspired Quick Hit , where I take something from culture and I ask the question what would Jesus think and what would Jesus do ?
If you enjoy this content , consider subscribing to the channel so you can get all of the latest updates when they come out . Also , we'd love to hear from you , so please comment , and if you'd share this with someone , that would be greatly appreciated as well . Alright , let's go . Perhaps the greatest indication of spiritual health is gratitude .
You might be confused , but let me explain . I have been a touring artist for more than 15 years and , honestly , it has been amazing . Despite late nights and long van drives and setting up and packing down and living out of a suitcase , I am more grateful than ever to do what I do .
The fact is , the majority of people in the world struggle to survive and they're wondering where their next meal is coming from . To have time and resources to paint or take pictures or make films or play music is a blessing very few people in history have experienced . Being an artist is an incredible privilege , but that is just the icing on the cake .
The fact that I have a healthy brain and body , that I woke up today , that I'm well fed and clothed , that I live in a nice house these are reasons enough to produce an eternally grateful heart . And , of course , this says nothing about what Jesus has done for me . I should be shouting my praise to God from the rooftops , but do I ?
I think a lack of gratitude is incredibly serious . To not be grateful is simply not to understand reality . In Philippians 6 , paul says that we should not be anxious about anything , but in all things , with prayer and thanksgiving , make our requests known to God . I find that we often dismiss the word Thanksgiving in this text , but it is of huge significance .
Look , if atheists are right . We have very good reasons to be anxious , but we know they're not . God is real and true hope comes from Him . Thinking God is our way of realigning our hearts with the reality that he is in control , that he provides and that he cares for us .
While I was in university , I learned to seek God with an earnest heart and , honestly , this changed my whole life . During this season , I really felt drawn to the idea of just thanking God . I would often go out in prayer walks and never ask for anything . I would simply thank God for all that he had done and all that he was doing .
In my life , I found myself increasingly aware of His power and provision , and this produced a gratitude in me that simply made my requests seem less important . As I've matured in my faith , I've made thanking God a crucial discipline , and I believe I've learned some critical aspects of gratitude that I believe are worth sharing .
So I want to share three with you . The first is being grateful is not a feeling but a choice . Like all things that matter in life , we have to choose to do what is right . I rarely feel like working out , I rarely feel like being generous or selfless , and I certainly rarely feel like being grateful , but I have decided to voice my gratitude .
I have decided to recognize all that God has done for me and to acknowledge that with my words and with my attitude . Deciding is the horse that pulls the cart , and this is a critical aspect of any spiritual discipline and , in particular , of gratitude . Secondly , it's not enough to just think about it . I really believe there is power in declaration .
We sing worship songs in part as a way of declaring who God is and what he has done . I have seen that when I speak the truth , it is cemented in my heart . That is why memorizing Scripture is so crucial . When we speak out our gratitude to Him , it has a way of melting this spirit of complaining that can take hold of us .
We can think well , I feel grateful . Isn't that enough ? In my experience , it's not . We have to speak it , we have to say it , and when we do , it has a profound impact on how we feel and how we live . Thirdly and finally , gratitude grows . As I have matured in the spiritual discipline of thanksgiving , I've seen growth in this area of my life .
My view of God has increased , my understanding of His faithfulness has deepened and I'm a better steward of what God has given me . Believing thanksgiving starts as a routine and has developed into a deep passion , like a muscle . The more I've exercised it , the more it has grown .
We can often think it's just an organic thing that will happen , but the truth is , like I said we have to decide , we have to speak it out loud and over time it grows . As I reflect on my life and all that I've been given , my sense of gratitude continues to deepen .
I'm convinced that , far more than just a polite social behavior gratitude being thankful it predicts someone's spiritual well-being , it indicates someone's spiritual well-being and it reflects that we truly understand who God is and what he has done for us . And so , daily , I choose to dwell on the goodness of God and I decide to be thankful when I feel it .
I decide to be thankful when I don't feel it , and I decide to be thankful until I feel it , because , in light of what Jesus has done for me , I better be grateful . All right , guys . That's it for Provoked and Inspired Quick Hit . I hope you enjoyed it . I hope it was encouraging to you . Let's remember to incorporate gratitude into our own lives .
I think it'll have a transformative impact on your life . Otherwise , leave us a rating and review on this content . If it's encouraging , check out Stiger , the missions organization that this podcast is a part of . And that's it for now . I'll talk to you next time , peace .