Ingratitude is virtually universal. Adam and Eve were ungrateful in paradise. The children of Israel were ungrateful after being delivered from slavery and while being led to a land flowing with milk and honey. Paul, in , seeking to describe the reality of the universality of our guilt says, “Neither were they grateful” (1:21) and then explains that what follows is futile thinking.
Is there a way out? Of course. The solution to every problem is to repent and believe the gospel. When, therefore, I find myself struggling with ingratitude the first thing I do is preach the gospel to myself. That gospel preaching comes in the form of three simple questions, the answers to which have the power to reboot my gratitude.
The first question is, “What am I due?” It is a question designed to remind me of the scope and horror of my sin. I daily rebel against the living God. Worse still, I daily dishonor my loving, heavenly Father. What I am due is an eternity of torment. I am due a lake of fire. The only thing God owes me is His wrath. My debt to Him is infinite and my ability to even begin to repay non-existent. Be careful. You may think I’m exaggerating. The truth is that words fail me. I’m worse than I think. He’s more holy than I could ever grasp, and my sin is ugly beyond description.
The second question is, “What have I been given?” The very first part of the answer is, “Not what I am due.” The righteous fury of God is not something I walk under. My sins have been forgiven. They are as far from me as the east is from the west. What have I been given? Peace with the almighty, living God who has every right to destroy me forever. This first causes every other gift to pale in comparison. I have been given the Holy Spirit who dwells within me, comforting me, guiding me, walking with me. I have been given a wife who loves me faithfully. I’ve been given friends and family and food. I’ve been set free from things that a hold on me, and I carry shame no more. Finally, I have been given unshakable promises, which brings us to the third question.
“What have I been promised?” If I told you I was going to give you the winning lottery ticket, and asked you to wait a few days, would you grumble against me? Yet God has promised something infinitely more valuable, that we will be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And He has never broken a promise. He has promised me an eternity without hardship, pain, suffering, sickness, death. And it is likely less than fifty years away. I have been promised the beatific vision- I will behold the glory of God. The longing of my soul with be utterly satisfied and I will want for nothing save something to grumble about.
My calling is to live in light of both what I have been given and what I have been promised, and to rejoice and give thanks in all things. Praise God my failure here is also covered by Jesus.
Excellent!