by Michael Youssef, Ph.D.
God wants a daily relationship with us. How it must grieve Him when we run to Him only in times of trouble and need! We beg and plead for God’s help, but when help arrives, we forget to thank our rescuer. We bargain with God for His blessings, but once we have received them, we go back to our old habits. It seems to be human nature that we seek out God when we need or want something, then forget Him the rest of the time.
Instead of focusing on our needs, God wants our focus to be on Him. He wants our thankfulness to be sincere. He wants our gratitude to be constant. He wants to see as much intensity and fervor in our thanks and praise as He saw in our requests and petitions.
God is glorified by a thankful heart, and we should be motivated by gratitude to God in all that we do. So let the song of our hearts be, “I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving” (Psalm 69:30).
Prayer: God, forgive me for the times I’ve run to You for something, only to forget You as soon as You answered my prayer. Teach me to praise You in the good times and in the bad. May I always have a word of praise on my lips for my Savior. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17).
