“Gratitude leads us off the riverbank of If Only and escorts us into the fertile valley of Already.”

A thought by Max Lucado from his book, Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World (Kindle Location 1387). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

The Lord wants to lead us.  Max says, “The anxious heart says, ‘Lord, if only I had this, that, or the other, I’d be okay.’ The grateful heart says, ‘Oh, look! You’ve already given me this, that, and the other. Thank you, God.’”

He then tells this story, “My friend Jerry has taught me the value of gratitude. He is seventy-eight years old and regularly shoots his age on the golf course. (If I ever do the same, I’ll need to live to be a hundred.) His dear wife, Ginger, battles Parkinson’s disease. What should have been a wonderful season of retirement has been marred by multiple hospital stays, medication, and struggles. Many days she cannot keep her balance. Jerry has to be at her side. Yet he never complains. He always has a smile and a joke. And he relentlessly beats me in golf. I asked Jerry his secret. He said, ‘Every morning Ginger and I sit together and sing a hymn. I ask her what she wants to sing. She always says, “Count Your Blessings.” So we sing it. And we count our blessings.’”

Max goes on, “Take a moment and follow Jerry’s example. Look at your blessings. Do you see any friends? Family? Do you see any grace from God? The love of God? Do you see any gifts? Abilities or talents? Skills?

“As you look at your blessings, take note of what happens. Anxiety grabs his bags and slips out the back door. Worry refuses to share the heart with gratitude. One heartfelt thank-you will suck the oxygen out of worry’s world. So say it often. Focus more on what you do have and less on what you don’t.”

Do you see how that will make a big difference in our day?