Cultivating Thankfulness

Austin Gardner • June 7, 2024

Appreciating Your Past, Present, and Future

Take the time to count your blessings, remember where God brought you from and through, and appreciate what you have. In Biblical terms, learn to be content.


Gratefulness doesn't come naturally but has to be cultivated. Humans are born selfish. We do not naturally even thank God, who created and gave us life and all we have.


How about looking back over your life and considering all the challenges you have overcome, the milestones you have achieved, and all the moments of unexpected joy? Think back on your past and see the hand of God in so many things that happened. As the old hymn says, “Count your many blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.”


Consider keeping a gratitude journal where you jot down moments of thankfulness. This simple reflection can shift your focus from what you lack to the abundance in your life.


Don't be so focused on today, and all you have to do that. You forget where God has brought you from and through. You won the impossible battles. God did great things.


You were on the wrong track and, by grace, found your way back. You wondered if it would ever happen, but it did. God moved.


Gratitude is not just about looking back; it's about appreciating the present moment. In pursuing goals and aspirations, it's easy to overlook the blessings surrounding us daily. Learning to feel gratitude involves consciously recognizing and appreciating what you have now.


If you think about it, you might see that God is at work right now in your life. Appreciate the little things, the prayers answered, and the needs met.


Gratitude flourishes when we become mindful of the present and recognize the goodness in our lives.


Be content with what you have and where you are. Appreciate the blessings. Be satisfied with what you have. Contentment is the key to lasting gratitude.


In a world that often urges us to chase more, cultivating contentment involves a shift in perspective. It's about finding joy in simplicity, appreciating the beauty of the present moment, and recognizing that true wealth lies in the richness of relationships and experiences.


Gratitude will lift you up and let you really live. Take these steps to grow a grateful heart. As you count your blessings, you'll discover that true wealth is not measured in possessions but in the depth of appreciation for the abundant grace surrounding you. So, take the time to cultivate gratitude – it's a journey well worth the effort.


By Austin Gardner July 28, 2026
What National Believers Wish Every Missionary Understood Before Arriving
By Austin Gardner July 27, 2026
What Jesus' incarnation teaches missionaries about belonging, humility, and reaching people from the inside instead of the outside.
By Austin Gardner July 26, 2026
The Single Most Important Area of Ministry
By Austin Gardner July 25, 2026
Why Language Is the Doorway to Belonging
By Austin Gardner July 24, 2026
How Deep Relationships Turn Strangers into Family
By Austin Gardner July 23, 2026
Why Identification Makes a Message Land
By Austin Gardner July 22, 2026
How Hudson Taylor's humility transformed missions by putting people before culture
By Austin Gardner July 21, 2026
What Paul Teaches Us About Reaching People
By Austin Gardner July 20, 2026
How the Missionary Learns to Relate to the National. The Example of Jesus
By Austin Gardner July 19, 2026
Learning to Serve with Humility, Honor, and Christlike Love Across Cultures