The Language of Appreciation
In Deuteronomy 10–12, God was taking the children of Israel into the Promised Land and describing all the wonderful gifts and abundance He was freely giving them. He said, “I’m giving you houses filled with great treasure so you can live in them. I’m giving you vineyards you didn’t plant and fields you didn’t plow so you can work them and enjoy the produce.” But then He warned them, “I’m giving you all these things, but don’t take them for granted. Don’t forget who gave it to you. Honor Me in it.”
I think God is saying the same thing to us today. He’s given us a great country to live in. He’s given us family and friends, houses and places to work and worship. We have running water, electricity, stores of all kinds—whatever we need is basically at our fingertips. But then we start to take things for granted and forget to be grateful. We face challenges at our jobs and in our homes. Things go wrong, and we start to complain, “Oh, no, I have to go to work. Then I have to pick up the kids and make dinner and clean up the mess.” We have to learn the language of appreciation. Gratitude says, “Thank You, Father, that I get to go to work because I have a job. I’m so blessed to have my children and can’t wait to pick them up. I have my own house that I get to clean.” That’s the language of appreciation.
We all should discover and remember the gold in our life through appreciation. When you’re appreciative, and you look for the value in something, what you’re doing is adding to your life. Yes, we’re going to face challenges. Things aren’t going to be easy. But when we look for the lessons in what we’re experiencing, when we begin to look for what can build our character, when we see the treasure in the people we love, that’s when we’re going to find the value and the purpose.
When we appreciate God, and we appreciate the things God has given us, we honor Him. Appreciation is a language we need to learn, and gratitude honors God. That’s why, wherever you are today, no matter how difficult it is, ask God to show you, “Where’s the value in this, God? This is something You’ve brought to me, so how can I appreciate it?” Happy people are the ones who can be appreciative of what they have right now on the way to where they’re going.
I think God is saying the same thing to us today. He’s given us a great country to live in. He’s given us family and friends, houses and places to work and worship. We have running water, electricity, stores of all kinds—whatever we need is basically at our fingertips. But then we start to take things for granted and forget to be grateful. We face challenges at our jobs and in our homes. Things go wrong, and we start to complain, “Oh, no, I have to go to work. Then I have to pick up the kids and make dinner and clean up the mess.” We have to learn the language of appreciation. Gratitude says, “Thank You, Father, that I get to go to work because I have a job. I’m so blessed to have my children and can’t wait to pick them up. I have my own house that I get to clean.” That’s the language of appreciation.
We all should discover and remember the gold in our life through appreciation. When you’re appreciative, and you look for the value in something, what you’re doing is adding to your life. Yes, we’re going to face challenges. Things aren’t going to be easy. But when we look for the lessons in what we’re experiencing, when we begin to look for what can build our character, when we see the treasure in the people we love, that’s when we’re going to find the value and the purpose.
When we appreciate God, and we appreciate the things God has given us, we honor Him. Appreciation is a language we need to learn, and gratitude honors God. That’s why, wherever you are today, no matter how difficult it is, ask God to show you, “Where’s the value in this, God? This is something You’ve brought to me, so how can I appreciate it?” Happy people are the ones who can be appreciative of what they have right now on the way to where they’re going.