"Be Grateful"

January 31, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Be Grateful" Psalm 23:4-6 New International Version 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. What keeps us from sitting at God’s table and rejoicing in the story of God’s faithfulness in our own life? Three obstacles come to mind: striving, discontentment, and deception. Striving is the internalized sense that we must always keep moving forward in pursuit of success, money, and acclaim. We think, more is always better, and rest is for the weak. This inability to slow down and appreciate God’s gifts breeds a profound sense of unfulfillment, making joy and peace elusive. The world’s competitive striving and restless dissatisfaction are fueled by the enemy’s most ancient and insidious deception: My way is better than God’s way. But when we are grateful we declare that God’s way of rest, and simplicity is better than the world’s deceived way of striving and discontentment. Being grateful is to challenge the enemy’s lies. In this way, Gratitude —slowing down to savor God’s gifts and remember His faithfulness—is an act of spiritual warfare. To be Thankful ......is to trust in the Lord.