A Life Full of Gratitude

Special Gratitude Edition

Guest Post by Martha Illarramendi

My heart can tend to be forgetful. In moments of despair, pain, frustration, and the routines of daily life, my vision can become foggy toward the goodness of God.

As we look back throughout Scripture, we find a common thread: as humans, we tend to forget easily. Even when we read history from just sixty years ago, we can see the same tendency to fall back into old errors. In Scripture, we see it clearly in the story of the Israelites. After 400 years of crying out to God, He sent Moses to deliver them from Egypt in miraculous ways. Yet only three days after their freedom, they were already longing to return to what they had begged to leave behind.

It’s a constant cycle: we sin, we cry out for mercy, God rescues us, and then, too often, we fall again—into the same ditch or a new one. Our own desires, expectations, and burdens can cloud our sight, blinding us to the truth that God is right before us, giving us all that we need and offering us new mercies every morning (Lamentations 3:23–24).

Gratitude is not just a state of mind—it’s a daily posture toward the Lord. As we walk and abide in Him, our hearts should seek to look upward, never forgetting to live in gratitude for all that He has done.

In Luke 17:11–19, we read about Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem, where He encounters ten lepers who cry out for mercy. Jesus hears them and instructs them to go show themselves to the priests. As they go, they are healed—but only one returns to give thanks and glorify God.

Only one.

Gratitude opens the door for deeper connection with God. When we stop to say, “Thank You,” we acknowledge that every good thing comes from Him. He owes us nothing, yet He has given us everything—simply by calling us His children, coheirs of His Kingdom.

Reflection: Have I been like the one who returned, or have I taken my blessings for granted?

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18