Choosing Gratitude
If you focus on the details, the bigger picture would take care of itself. One of the reasons why lots of people don't know how to show gratitude and be grateful is because they are bogged down with the bigger picture. When you started out on your job or when you started out in your marriage, what were the things you wanted to achieve? And then when you look at where you are today, you want to ask yourself, how far am I from my vision? And sometimes because people have made mistakes and you know, they have taken wrong steps, they find themselves in the place where what they believe and what they can see, and it's so far away from their intended destination. But I want to tell you this.
No war is won in a day. You win a war one battle at the time.
That's why the Bible says. Casting all your cares upon the Lord because he cares for you. He says, I've got you inscribed in the palm of my hands. And so sometimes we hear things like this from the Bible. How seriously do we take them? You see, that's why I love children a lot because they, they've got a wonderful mind, especially up to a certain age. Children are just so wonderful. They are so trusting. They are so believing of everything they are told. When you tell a child something, they don't question it. They just believe when you tell them. If you're going to do something for them, they just believe and accept it.
Jesus said, for such are the Kingdom of Heaven. What does that mean? When you humble yourself like a child and you face life like a child, believing everything that God's word says about you and about your life and approaching every difficulty in your life in line with the word of God, you will experience the manifestation of the Kingdom of God in your family.
Jesus said, suffer the little children or allow the little children to come unto me. He says, for those children, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. If you want to experience the Kingdom of God, if you wanted to become a tangible reality in your life and in your family, approach life as a kid, believing everything that God's word says about you, believing everything the word of God says about your family and holding on to it no matter what you face. Jesus came and against all odds, he fulfilled his assignment. And I want to say to you, that against all odds in your life, you will fulfill your mission. You will fulfill your assignment in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Keep the picture of God's word in your heart. President JF Kennedy on a visit to NASA, met a janitor mopping the floor, and he asked the janitor, “What is your job here?” And the guy replied and said, “I am helping to send a man into the moon.” Now, he didn't say, “I'm a janitor.” He didn't say, “I'm a cleaner.” He didn’t say, “I'm mopping the floor.” He saw himself as part of the big picture.
Again, there's a story of a traveler who came upon three bricklayers, three bricklayers. They were working on different sections of this property that was being developed. And the traveler asked the first bricklayer, “What are you doing?” And the first bricklayer answered, “I'm just laying bricks.” Then he moved on to the next bricklayer and said, “What are you doing?” The second one said, “I'm putting up a wall.” Then he moved on to the third one and said, “What exactly are you doing?” And the third one said, “I'm building a cathedral.”
Who do you think answered the best? It’s the third guy. He didn't see himself as just a bricklayer laying bricks or putting up just one wall, which would be part of the whole cathedral, but he said, “I'm building a cathedral.” What's the wisdom from that? You are not too small to be recognized because God has put his wisdom in you, and what you are doing today is very important for humanity.
And so regardless of where you are in life, whatever you do, whatever work you do, Paul said, “I magnify my office.” Magnify your office, esteem yourself highly, and tell yourself, “I'm making the world a better place.” Don't look down on yourself. See the bigger picture so that when someone walks into the office tomorrow and asks you, “What are you doing in this office?” You wouldn't say, “I'm just a cleaner,” or you wouldn't say, “I'm just a receptionist.” No. You will say, “I am here for the objective and the very mission that this corporation was set up.”
God is in your life and God is working with you. Go into your week, confident that you are special, that the little things you do will help the life of another person. Nobody is insignificant. Nobody is too small. Remember to keep things in their perspective and you wouldn't feel bad about your life. You may have lost one battle. It doesn't mean you're going to lose the war.
You may have failed yesterday. It doesn't mean that you're not going to graduate. Do you understand?
Always keep life in perspective. And if you do it that way, then you will always, always be thankful. Listen, those who are not thankful, those who are not full of gratitude, they release negative energy. There are some people who struggle with negativity because they are always looking at the wrong things in their life, how things are not working out, how this person is sick, how that one failed, how things are not working out.
What about the little things that God has done in your life? Can you take a moment and have, have a moment of reflection and say, “Lord, I just thank you that I woke up this morning. I thank you Lord I can put food on the table for my children. I thank you oh God that none of my children are in the hospital, that we are all together here today.” Can you thank God even for the very little thing?
Some are still thinking, “Where would the rent come?” But God who gave you the money to pay the mortgage last month, has he gone on holiday? Has he gone on holiday? Jesus, the same yesterday, today and forever. If he provided for you yesterday, he will provide for you again today. If he kept you alive, he will keep your children alive.
David said, “Once I was young. Now I am very old. I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread.” I leave you with this word today. Put life in perspective and be thankful for the little things in your life. The Bible says in everything give thanks, for this is the will of the father concerning you.
I want to leave you with this word. God will never leave you. God will never forsake you.