Choosing Gratitude
Some mornings, the to-do list feels never-ending.
There’s washing up still on the side; a church rota needs sorting as soon as possible. The kids need breakfast, then packed lunches, and maybe a reminder (or three) to put their shoes on. Unread messages flash at me from my phone, and the day hasn’t even properly begun.
In those moments, it’s easy to feel tired before I start.
But lately, I’ve been trying something.
A quiet pause, right in the middle of it all. And I say to myself: I choose gratitude.
Not when it’s all finished.
Not when everything is calm.
But right there, in the mess and noise and busyness, I choose to thank God.
Like when I’m making breakfast and packing lunches for my daughters, and the kitchen’s already a mess before 8 am, I stop and thank God for the miracle and gift of small, healthy humans who need to be fed. When I’m rearranging and scrambling to sort the church rota again, I thank Him for the faithful people who still show up. When I’m faced with the dishes, I thank Him for warm meals and the people I get to share them with. And even when I’m reading through messages that need answers, I try to thank Him that people still reach out, still care, still want to be part of something.
It doesn’t make the list shorter.
But it changes how I carry it.
Gratitude opens something up in me. It takes my focus off what’s missing or undone, and turns it toward what’s already here, the gifts and blessings that I’ve stopped noticing.
Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Paul doesn’t say give thanks AFTER all circumstances, but rather give thanks IN all circumstances.
That means while the kettle’s boiling, the kids are bickering, and I’ve got one shoe on. Right then, I can choose thankfulness.
Rural ministry often invites us into slow, hidden faithfulness.
It’s easy to overlook the small things because we’re longing for something bigger or more noticeable. But gratitude helps us see the beauty of what is;
The really good chat after the church service.
The beautiful view from a country lane whilst out walking the dog.
The quiet voice prompting us to keep going.
Gratitude is how we keep our hearts soft. It’s how we keep from becoming weary in doing good. And it’s how we recognise that God is right here in the middle of our muddy, beautiful, everyday lives.
So maybe today, wherever you are, whether you’re setting out chairs, folding laundry, making soup, or leading a service why not take a moment and pause.
Breathe… Stay close to Jesus.
And say it with me: I choose gratitude.
