Gratitude seems like an afterthought, a reaction to something good rather than a prediction of it. But as is often the case, the kingdom of God switches our expected order around.
In the kingdom, gratitude is meant to be a continual attitude of the heart, the environment we live in. We don’t just say “thanks” to what God has done. We say “thanks” to who he is—all the time.
This may come as a surprise, but you’re much more likely to get blessings of fulfillment from God by thanking him than you are by asking for them. He invites prayer, of course, but the climate of the heart is critical to what those prayers accomplish. If you’re able to thank God ahead of time for what he is going to do—even if you don’t know exactly what it will look like—you have come to a place of trust that delights him. And his delight provokes all sorts of responses.
Whatever it takes, cultivate gratitude. Choose to focus on blessings, privileges, and even just the basics of life. The world is permeated with his goodness, if you have eyes to see it. So is your life. Choose which eyes to see with, and let gratitude become your constant environment. God fills that environment with his presence.
