Gratefulness

Recently, I read somewhere that a woman had determined to write down at least one thing, everyday, that she was grateful for. In an attempt to get herself through some hard times, she thought it might help to remember the blessings, as well. I thought this was such a great idea so I took my organizer and on the daily sections, I write down at least one thing that I am grateful for that day. I have tried to stay consistent with this and do it when I do my morning devotional. As I have a tendency to do, I have days that I have missed, but I don't know that that's so important as what it does on the days that I do remember to do it. Some days life can be so overwhelming and the problems of the day tend to take over. That's the life we live in the world that we live in. Thank God for Heaven, is all I can say! I will be SO glad to get out of this stinking, sin-cursed, fallen world (as our Pastor calls it) and spend eternity in perfection! But until that day, I have to get through each and every day of relationship problems, family squabbles, money issues, and just general life. Sometimes I truly hate it. Sin is everywhere I turn and I detest it. And more upsetting to me than anything is how those I love and those who claim to know better fall victim to it. We seem to rate ourselves on a sliding scale of "well, at least..." fill in the blank. At least I'm not as bad as ________, at least I don't ________, and so on. We trick ourselves into thinking that we are somehow better than the rest because we are *saved*. But Jesus didn't come to save us so that we could frolic in that same sin. He didn't lay down His life so that we could dabble in "smaller" sins. The things that we chalk up to just being human are not of God and the proof of that is in the destruction that they cause. If there was "nothing wrong with it" then nothing would become of it. But we have a responsibility... when someone calls our attention to it, when we hear a word that rebukes it, when we are made aware of it- we have a responsibility to acknowledge it as sin and turn from it. If we do not, it festers and creates a deep wound that- if not taken care of- over time will just grow deeper and deeper until it rots the core and affects everything else. "You will know them by their fruits". There is a fundamental truth and it is that you will be judged by every action and word and deed. If you're okay with that it doesn't mean that you're right, it just means that you're probably in some serious denial. And your denial of the truth doesn't make it any less true. So what am I grateful for today? Today, I am grateful that God has given me a deep moral compass that- when I listen to it- will steer me clear of temptation and pain. I am grateful for a conviction that brings me to my knees and gives me a clear conscience. I am grateful for a God who loves me enough to direct me in the right path when I'm going down the wrong one. And I'm grateful that I can hear the voice of the Lord through others and heed their warning. I realize that this is not so common, apparently, so I am grateful for it.