BY: Sir Godfrey Gregg

Day Twenty-Two: Gratitude in Plenty

Scripture: Deuteronomy 8:10–14

“And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. Take care lest you forget the LORD your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God.”

Reflection:

Prosperity is a blessing, but it is also a danger. When things go well, we are tempted to forget God.  We become comfortable, self-sufficient, and proud.  We attribute our success to our own efforts.  We stop depending on God because we feel we no longer need Him.

Moses warns Israel about this danger. When they enter the promised land—a land of abundance, of flowing streams and fertile fields—they will be tempted to forget. When their houses are built, their herds multiplied, their wealth increased, their hearts will be lifted up. They will forget the God who brought them out of Egypt.

This warning applies to us. When our bank accounts are full, our health is good, our relationships are thriving, our careers are flourishing—we are tempted to forget.  We become complacent.  We stop praying with urgency.  We stop depending on God for daily bread.

Gratitude is the antidote to this forgetfulness. When we give thanks in times of plenty, we acknowledge that our abundance comes from God. We recognize that we are still dependent on Him, still in need of His grace, still recipients of His goodness. Gratitude keeps us humble, keeps us grateful, keeps us close to God.

Consider how you handle seasons of abundance.  Do you give thanks? Do you acknowledge God’s provision? Do you remember that every good gift comes from above? Or do you take credit for your successes and forget the Giver?

In times of plenty, we must be especially vigilant about gratitude.  We must thank God for His abundance.  We must remember that wealth is a gift, not an achievement.  We must use our abundance to bless others and honour God.  And we must never forget that He is the source of every good thing.

Journal: What blessings of abundance do you need to thank God for today? How can you guard against forgetting Him in times of plenty?

Practice: Thank God specifically for the abundance in your life, asking Him to keep your heart humble. Use some of your abundance to bless someone else today.

Prayer: Generous Father, thank You for the abundance You have poured into my life.  Forgive me for the times I have taken Your gifts for granted, for the times I have forgotten that they come from Your hand. Keep me humble in times of plenty. Let my abundance be a tool for Your glory and a blessing to others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.