The Consequence of Ingratitude
I lived most of my life ungratefully. Well, ungrateful in the eyes of God. For nearly 6 decades of my life, I didn’t see my ingratitude. I mistakenly thought I was a grateful person. I thanked people for their gifts and wonderful gestures. I even thanked God for the things I thought were blessings.
So how do I know I was ungrateful? Because I sinned against God without a thought, without any regard for the fact that I was living a life separated from Him, outside of His kingdom. I kept asking Him for things, based on what I wanted. And even when He said “yes” to me, I chose sin. I chose worldly behavior. I chose “self”. That I didn’t understand is no excuse. I had ample opportunity to know and understand Him. In retrospect, I feel ashamed. How could I treat God that way? Always asking, sometimes receiving, always overlooking His blessings as though I were some entitled child. When I wanted something from Him, I begged. When He gave me what I wanted, I failed to fall to my knees and tell Him that I was grateful. What I didn’t know at the time was that what I asked for, what I actually got were not blessings, but His chastening.
Prayer is not a means for getting what we want. Prayer is meant, first and foremost, for praising God, regardless of our circumstances. We should never begin a prayer asking for what we want. We should never believe that what we want is what’s best for us. This is why Jesus said, “Pray this way - …Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven…” When Jesus prayed to His Father, it was always in complete surrender to the Father’s will.
And when our prayers are answered, whatever God’s answer may be, we must show our gratitude. How? With praise, obedience, and complete appreciation for everything He gives us. Every person we meet, everything we own, every opportunity, every job, is a gift from God. Even someone we may not agree with or get along with or someone who mistreats us, is a gift because of the lesson{s} we learn from them. Even jobs that are less than ideal for us are gifts because the resulting income tides us over until God opens the door to a better job.
Complaining about God’s blessings is ingratitude. Sinning against God, despite His blessings is ingratitude. Asking for what we want over what God wills for us is ingratitude. Grumbling against God, blaming Him for our circumstances is ingratitude. The more we complain, the more we sin against God, the more we focus on our desires over God’s purpose, the more we grumble against God and blame Him for our circumstances, the longer He will chasten us. I know this from many years of experience. I’m still learning. I still complain. He still chastens me.
Recognize that everything you have is a gift from God, even when it doesn’t feel like it. Be grateful. Praise Him in gratitude and appreciation for what He gives you. His purpose may not always be obvious, but He knows what and who we need. And remember this - what He gives you, He can also take away. We don’t always appreciate the people or things we have until they’re gone. What follows then is regret, which never fully goes away. May the Lord bless you and keep you always! ✝️🤍🙏🏻
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Resources
Stop Complaining, Part 1
Stop Complaining, Part 2
