Gratitude in the Messy Middle
Are you in the habit of giving God thanks in the middle of difficulty?
Verse of the Day
‘Then he took some bread, gave thanks to God before them all, and broke off a piece and ate it.’
Today’s Devotional
Let me set the stage for today’s verse. Better yet, read Acts 27 for yourself. The chapter begins as a travel log and turns into an action-packed adventure. Paul was imprisoned and heading for Rome by boat. What began as a normal journey turned dangerous when the ship encountered a massive storm.
The crew first tried to hold the ship together by passing ropes underneath, then they threw cargo and later ship’s tackle overboard. By the 14th day, when they’d seen neither sun nor stars, “they gave up all hope of being saved.”
But that night, an angel appeared to Paul in a dream, assuring him no one would die. The storm raged on and the ship looked like it would be dashed against rocks. They dropped four anchors and prayed for daylight. No one had eaten for 14 days, and just before sunrise, Paul urged everyone to eat to regain strength. In the midst of the storm, Paul took bread, gave thanks to God before the entire ship, broke the bread and distributed it. The next day, all 276 aboard made it safely to shore.
I’m not sure about you, but fourteen days of being on a ship in the midst of a major storm sounds awful. Even when our home flooded in Hurricane Harvey I still made time to eat, so the fact that the crew didn’t eat for those two weeks is an indication of how the dire their situation was.
How did Paul know everything was going to be okay? How did Paul confidently give thanks in the middle of a raging storm? He trusted God. It’s that simple. Paul gave thanks to God before he knew the outcome of this voyage. He gave thanks before he knew he would make it to land safely. He gave thanks before knew whether or not members of the crew were going to kill him. That is brave gratitude. That’s gratitude based on trusting that whatever God is going to do is good and right, even if I don’t understand it.
Are we that brave with our gratitude? Do we trust God enough to intentionally be thankful to God in front of others in the messy middle of our difficulties?
Paul’s example is humbling to me. God deserves my thanks at all times, in all circumstances, even in the middle of the storms of this life.
Today’s Gratitude Challenge 1: Reminders. Whether it’s a reminder on my phone, a calendar alert on my computer, a comment from a friend, or a well-timed Bible verse, I need lots of reminders in my life. No one can remember all the things all the time. Peter knew that we would need reminding: “Therefore, I will always remind you about these things—even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth you have been taught. And it is only right that I should keep on reminding you as long as I live.” (2 Peter 1:12-13) How and why are you grateful for the reminders in your life?
Today’s Gratitude Challenge 2: Are you grateful for your sense of hearing? With your ears you can hear music, sermons, the voices of people you love, the gentle rain falling. And hearing gives us faith: ‘So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.’ (Romans 10:17) How and why are you grateful for your ability to hear? Be specific. If your hearing is impaired, how can you express gratitude for the ways God allows you to hear differently than others?
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
What are some of the “storms” in your life currently?
How can you give thanks to God in the messy middle of your current circumstances?
How and why are you grateful for reminders in your life? Do the reminders ever frustrate you? How can you turn that frustration into gratitude today?
How and why are your grateful for your ability to hear?