The Risk

The risk of gratitude runs deeper than we are willing to feel. Have you ever been truly grateful for someone? I'm talking like you know without a doubt they are a Divine placement in your life. Sure, we're grateful. We use manners when someone opens a door for us, buys us lunch, or whatever other circumstance arises that permits a "thank you." Look beyond the mundane circumstantial gratitude. Have you ever been grateful for the Divine placement in your life? Regardless of what they do, you're grateful for them?

Woah woah woah Ashton...That's kinda sketch. I mean, they haven't done anything for me to be grateful for them.

Yeah, I know.

I don't think I began to get a true picture of God until someone told me they were grateful for me. I replied with "What did I do?" They said "nothing, that's the point." God is grateful for you, before you even choose to love Him and accept Him.

Well yeah, Ashton. Duh.

Yeah, exactly. It's risky for God to lay His heart out and be grateful for you before circumstances justify such. Typically, we do not follow suit with such. That risk is much greater and runs deeper than we are willing to experience. The experience of gratitude without reciprocation will break a person faster than they could ever know.

There was a person in my life that was not fond of me, and everything they did irritated me. God challenged me, and He said "Ashton, I created them the same way I created you." It wasn't until I began to thank God for this person and their life that I began to experience this supernatural realm of unconditional love. No matter what they did or didn't do, I am going to love them. This person has not reciprocated such unconditional love or gratitude, but that's alright. It's pain I'm willing to experience if it means I remember that this person is a child of the same Father, along with every other person I encounter.

Friends, I challenge you to practice the risk of gratitude. Please, go deeper than you are comfortable with. If that means writing a letter to tell someone what they mean to you, do it. Step out beyond the mundanity of normalcy in your life, and give God room to work.

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