Sometimes we take things for granted. They become mundane or expected. Things lose their ability to inspire and/or be appreciated.
Several years ago I damaged my back and lived in constant pain for over two years. Since that time I have never taken a pain-free day for granted. It is something I am always grateful for.
I had a friend who was once homeless. Devastating circumstances had them on the streets with no place to call home. She was young and felt completely alone. She told me that sleeping in her car night after night brought on a depression she thought she would never be able to break. Then a kind and loving person took her in and gave her a place to stay. She says she remembers that first long, hot shower – it was life affirming. She has never taken living in a home, with clean sheets and warm water for granted again.
Maybe you’ve had experiences like these or something similar. These memories are triggers of joy – not for the circumstance but for the deliverance from them.
“Everything good comes from God. Every perfect gift is from him. These good gifts come down from the Father who made all the lights in the sky. But God never changes like the shadows from those lights. He is always the same.” James 1:17 ERV
Our Father is the giver of every good gift!
We should be living life expectantly; never taking these gifts for granted. Look for the joy in each day, the opportunity to give and to share what the Lord has blessed us with.
Each time I see a sunset like I did last night or watch the sunrise over the pines, my heart is filled with wonder and awe that the God who paints the sky is my Father and He fills my life with blessings.
That truth, dear friend, never gets old!