Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” – Genesis 3:1, ESV
As a hospice chaplain, I see many different sorts of people on a daily basis. Often times, my favorite patients and families are the ones who have cultivated a spirit of gratitude. You know the type:
They thank you for your time and any small kindness shown to them.
Oddly, this observation made me think about the Fall and adultery. How many of our lives have been ravaged by adultery after gratitude had long departed from the marriage? While your adulterous spouse was cheating, do you remember being showered with gratitude or fault finding? I suspect it was the later.
As I look at the story of humankind’s Fall, I see the same phenomenon at work. Instead of looking at the entirety of the bountiful garden God had given Adam and Eve, Eve focused on the one thing withheld. Gratitude was no longer guarding her heart. She was wide open to temptation, and Adam did nothing to help protect her.
Gratitude is so important for healthy spirituality. It reminds us of God’s goodness and undercuts Satan’s ability to exploit doubt in God’s character. Also, it makes us much better company for others.
Plus, we are called to be a thankful people:
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. – Colossians 4:2, ESV
What do you thank God for?
Life? Health? Job? Kids? Dog? Cat? A beautiful day?
God has given us much to thank Him for even in the darkest of valleys. Let’s not loose the ability to give Him thanks!
Thank you for this post! Often, when dealing with my husbands infidity and the continued verbal, mental, and financial abuse, it has beendifficult to see things to be grateful for…some days I just had to be greateful for the ability to keep a bit of food down! But the further I get away from that man’s sickness the more I am finding myself again and I have such a long list of things to be grateful for, and you, DM and Mrs. DM are one of them!
Thank you for your passion for your work and for calling out the brutality of infidelity for what it is-Soul Rape.
Have a blessed week 🙂
I am thankful for every day, for my parents and my children. It had been hard times but God carried me through them. Kept me sane and gave me 2 great kids.