Striving

Where has our gratitude gone?

Society teaches us to strive for more and more. Better jobs, more efficient ways of doing things, faster wifi, instant communication, instant gratification, more goods, more popularity, more money = more satisfaction.

When are we going to be content? When are we going to be grateful?

Ecclesiastes 4:6 says "Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind."

I don't know about you friends, but I want a grateful heart.

I want a heart that has joy because Jesus is more than enough for me.

I want to stop striving for the things of this world and be content with the relationships God has given us with Him and with family and friends.

I want to recite Psalm 4:7 which says "You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound."

And I have to be really honest, and say sometimes that's not where my heart is at.

Sometimes I make lists of the things I want instead of lists of the things I'm grateful for.

Sometimes my prayers consist more of gift request lists than praises of gratitude.

Sometimes I forget that Jesus is truly enough for all my needs.

And yet friends, we have so much to be thankful for because even in our selfishness, He is a God of mercy. And He knows our struggles with materialism, with wish lists, with idolatry, with competing desires... And He says come to me.

Come to me you people who are heavy burdened. Come to me you people who are grasping at things you are not able to obtain.

Come and I will give you rest. Come and I will give you satisfaction.

I will give you waters to drink of that will never run dry.

Come to the well so you don't have to strive or be thirsty any longer.