When Paul seeks to communicate in the book of Romans the universal reality of sin he notes two universal sins of the unredeemed. First, they do not acknowledge God as God. Second, neither are they grateful. While we have been redeemed, we carry the same sin struggles into our new life. We continue to have a problem with gratitude. Why?
First, we do not understand what we are due. That is, just as unbelievers suppress the truth of their guilt before God, so do we. We, because we yet struggle with sin, deny the sin we struggle with, then conclude that any whim or wish we have that goes unmet is a sure sign that we are not being treated as we ought. When Jesus was asked if those killed by the falling of the tower of Siloam were worse sinners than others He wisely changed their perspective. The question isn’t why were those people killed. The question is why wasn’t I killed. We are, in ourselves, due His eternal judgment. Everything we experience in the here and now is grace.
Second, we do not understand what we have been given. It is more than enough, an infinite windfall of grace that our sins have been forgiven. Such deserves gratitude from us from top to bottom. There is, however, so much more. We have not only been forgiven but adopted. God has, through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, made us His own precious children. He has blessed us with the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. He never leaves us nor forsakes us, never lets us go. We walk through all our days, the good and the terrible, in the palm of His hand.
Third, we do not understand what we have been promised. Everything He has already given us is secure forever. The forgiveness we have we will always have. Our adoption has made us a part of His forever family. There is, however, more to come. He has promised that He will complete the good work that He has begun in us. He not only declares us just today but promises that He is making us just, and that we will reach that end at our end. He has promised not only to reconcile us through His Son but to make us like His Son. We will be like Him for we shall see Him as He is. We will spend eternity in His glorious presence, beholding His countenance, filled to overflowing with every blessing. He has made us joint heirs with Jesus.
The problem isn’t that He is stingy and we need to just get used to it. The problem is that the “blessings” we think we are missing out on are curses He protects us from while the “curses” we think He refuses to take away are blessings by which He remakes us. He is the God who gives. Pray with me that He would bless us with greater gratitude all our days.